


We were always meant to say goodbye...

by anotherhappylanding



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: A little bit of everything, Ahsoka Tano Needs a Hug, Ahsoka low-key has a woman crush on Satine, Anakin Skywalker Doesn't Turn to the Dark Side, Angst, BAMF Satine Kryze, Darth Maul Redemption, Dreams and Nightmares, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Fix-It, Flirty Satine Kryze, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Jealous Obi-Wan Kenobi, Kind of its a complicated thing, Lima Syndrome, Mace is in love, Minor Lux Bonteri/Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi Gets a Hug, Obi-Wan Kenobi Is Bad At Feelings, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Mess, Parental Mace Windu, Pining Darth Maul, Possessive Darth Maul, Romance, Satine Kryze Lives, Satine Kryze Needs a Hug, Sexual Tension, Sharing a Bed, Slow Dancing, Undercover Missions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:40:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 46,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27290599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anotherhappylanding/pseuds/anotherhappylanding
Summary: No one ever truly stays dead for long do they, especially when Maul is involved.The war has ended, the Jedi in the middle of a reform. All is well in the galaxy until a familiar face returns and sends Obi-Wan through a loop. The Duchess from his past however, isn't here to stay. Things may be uncomfortable between them but they don't have time to worry about that. When a new problem arises they team up with Sith, Jedi, Clone and Citizen alike to save her life.I don't know how to summarise. It's better than it sounds in this description I swear. The general gist: Satine returns and we get some lovely tension between her and Obi-Wan. Mace is a problem solving gem. Ahsoka contemplates life and returning to the Jedi Order. Anakin is a hot mess. Maul is a devious scheming bastard who still wants to make trouble for our favourite couple(but we love him).New chapter every Sunday (maybe second, it depends)
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Bo-Katan Kryze & Satine Kryze, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, Lux Bonteri/Ahsoka Tano, Mace Windu/Original Character(s), Obi-Wan Kenobi & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Darth Maul, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze, Satine Kryze & Anakin Skywalker, Satine Kryze & Darth Maul, Satine Kryze/Darth Maul
Comments: 77
Kudos: 194





	1. Prologue

The once beautiful throne room was suddenly struck by darkness. The sun was still bright, shining through the large windows but the atmosphere had darkened.

Obi-Wan was on his knees in front of the monster who sat upon the throne with his legs hanging carelessly over the side. How dare he sit where she once sat? The only thing that was running through his brain was the simple yet heart piercing fact that he had once again lost someone he cared about to Maul's hand. 

Her breathing was slowing and Obi-Wan's heart could be heard beating in his ear. His eyes were stinging with the constant pain and reminder that he'd failed her. There was nothing he could do except sit and hold her close. 

_Remember my dear Obi-Wan,_

Her hand on his face, he leaned into her touch praying desperately that this won't be the last time he gets to hold her.

_I've loved you always,_

His eyes welled with tears as he let them close trying his best to remember that year he spent on Mandalore with her. They were so much more free then they'd realised at the time. In that moment he would give anything to go back and just be with her, to hold her hand, to kiss her, anything, just one last time. 

_I always will._

He felt her body go limp and his heart shattered within his chest. He pulled her close, bringing her hand up to place a kiss upon it. She was gone, well and truly gone. He felt the small light that was Satine's life force extinguish like a flame being snuffed out by the darkness. 

He gently placed her down and was guided away by the members of Death Watch. He didn't even try to fight them as he was dragged away. He was broken, Maul had done it. He had broken Obi-Wan Kenobi. 


	2. Home Sweet Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan returns from Mandalore and struggles to hide his pain from Anakin and the Council.

It hadn't truly hit him yet, the shock, the pain. He sat in silence as Coruscant came into view. The bright blue streaks of hyperspace dissipating to make room for the place he'd called home his entire life. This time, however, he didn't feel the usual relief of returning home from the war. He didn't feel anything, not yet.

The ship touched down on the landing platform and Obi-Wan sat still not knowing what else to do. He wanted this to all be a bad dream, he needed this to all be a bad dream. He needed her to be sitting on her throne on Mandalore, safe and happy. He needed _her_.

The distant sound of the landing ramp hissed open while the sound of footsteps filled the cabin. Obi-Wan knew who it was, that force signature was something he'd not soon forget. He simply waited for the brash young Jedi to appear and ask his questions. He didn't know if he could answer them, he certainly didn't want to and he hoped that Anakin wouldn't push too much. The council was another story, they needed answers and he couldn't hide behind his feelings as an excuse.

"Obi-Wan?" The voice called out with a hint of anger.

Obi-Wan didn't respond and continued to stare out through the cockpit window. He could hear Anakin's footsteps growing closer and closer until they finally arrived at the cockpit door. The familiar hiss sounded as the chosen one stepped inside.

"Obi-Wan," Anakin started. "Where were you? You just left without saying anything, Ahsoka has been worried sick and the council want to speak with you, they sent me here to get you."

Obi-Wan sighed and a small wave of guilt for troubling the teenage girl washed over him.

"Well then Anakin, let's not keep the council waiting."

Anakin watched as Obi-Wan stood up and walked past him towards the ships exit. He was momentarily frozen at his former masters behaviour. He quickly shook off his shock and followed the man out of the ship.

The bright lights of Coruscant were blinding and Obi-Wan had to squint as he stepped off the ship.

"Hang on, did you not hear what I said? Ahsoka was terrified for you," Anakin picked up his pace to chase his master up the Temple stairs. "What's going on? Where is my ship and... why are you wearing that?"

Obi-Wan had forgotten about the armour he had donned in his attempted rescue. Changing out of it wasn't high up on his list of priorities on the way back. Nothing was except sitting and replaying the moment over and over in his brain on a loop going over what he could have done better, if he was just a little bit faster or a little bit smarter. The what if's were torturous.

He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from screaming his frustrations as Anakin appeared beside him. The doors to the Temple swung closed behind them as they began the trek towards the council chambers. The smell of blood and sweat wafting up to fill Obi-Wan's nostrils made it much harder to bury the memories.

Anakin continued to look at him, his frustrations reaching a boiling point.

"Obi-Wan, you can't just ignore me," His brow furred. "I deserve to know where you were."

"No Anakin, you don't!" Obi-Wan snapped, stopping in his tracks as they were a few feet away from the chambers.

"Yes I do!" Anakin returned with equal fire. "Especially when it worries my padawan, our padawan, to the point of not eating and losing sleep. You may not want to answer to me but she deserves an explanation."

Obi-Wan was stumped. Hearing that Ahsoka hadn't been taking care of herself because of him was like a punch to the gut.

"I-I'm sorry," Obi-Wan stumbled over his words, hanging his head in defeat. "I had no idea, I just..." He took a shallow breath as he tried to bury the memory. He couldn't have everything hit him now, he had a council meeting to get through. "I can't explain right now Anakin, I need to brief the council."

Anakin didn't move, his hard expression stayed the same but his eyes softened. He thought of speaking but the doors to the council chambers opening interrupted him. He craned his neck to glance inside before looking back at Obi-Wan.

"You should get in there," He tried to be mad but something in the force was begging him to just hold Obi-Wan and help him with whatever was aching his heart. "I'll wait out here until you're done."

Obi-Wan nodded to Anakin before stepping inside to face the council, the people he had directly disobeyed in an attempt to help Satine, an attempt that failed spectacularly.

The doors shut with a resounding thump as Obi-Wan avoided the eyes of everyone in the room. He moved to stand in the centre of the ring of twelve seats as protocol stated. He refused to speak first, he wasn't going to attempt dig himself out of this hole, there was no point and he didn't really want to get out of it.

"Master Kenobi," Mace Windu began. "Do we even want to hear this excuse?"

"I have no excuse," Obi-Wan finally looked up towards Mace. "I went to Mandalore against the wishes of the council."

Mace narrowed his eyes at the man not in anger but in an attempt to figure out what he was feeling. The force was a storm circling his head. Obi-Wan was clearly keeping his shields up, an odd choice Mace noted. He had always been a very private man with impenetrable shields but today there were tiny cracks where his pain could peak through.

"That's all you have to say?" Mace asked him still pretty annoyed at his defiance.

Obi-Wan was silent for a moment trying to contemplate his words, trying to be as diplomatic about this as he could. He knew she'd like that, she'd taught him it after all.

"It was Maul," Obi-Wan stated. "He orchestrated the whole thing and is now in control of Mandalore."

Mace tilted his head. "Maul? What could he possibly want on Mandalore?"

"He wanted bait," Obi-Wan cleared his throat where a lump was beginning to form. "For me."

"And you took the bait clearly," Mace said although there was no malice in his voice.

"Yes, I did," Obi-Wan wanted to get out of there as fast as he could, it was only a matter of time until they started asking about Satine and he didn't want to talk about that.

"And the situation on Mandalore?" Mace asked. "If Maul is in power where is Duchess Satine?"

Hearing her name spoken out loud sent a large crack through his shields. His pain spilling out just that little bit more for all Jedi to see.

"Sat-," His voice caught in his throat and he had to stop talking to clear it but it made no difference. "The Duchess is dead."

A silence.

Mace's permanently furrowed brow softened as he watched Kenobi in a whole new light. He saw a man who had failed to stop a planet being taken over by the same monster who'd taken the life of his master.

"Too late, you were," Yoda stated as if it were a fact. "Kill the Duchess first, Maul would."

"No," Obi-Wan almost choked out. "He waited, he wanted me there."

The room was silent, a clear indication that they wanted Obi-Wan to continue explaining which was the last thing he wished to do.

"He wanted to get revenge for what happened on Naboo," Obi-Wan explained. "So he waited for me to be there, he wanted to kill her in front of me."

"What could he possibly hope to gain from that?" Agen Kolar asked.

"The Duchess and I were... close once, Maul somehow knew that and he used it to his advantage," Obi-Wan explained.

His pause was completely unintentional but he couldn't think of anything else to say. What were they? What was she to him? Someone he cared deeply about, not just a friend like he had tried to coax himself into believing. Someone he loved, still loves, he only realised it far too late.

"The bait, she was," Yoda eyed him suspiciously.

"Yes," Obi-Wan paused finding this conversation far more difficult than he'd expected. "He used her to bait me and I fell for it,"

 _Like a fool,_ he wanted to add.

"Had we known Maul was involved we would have authorised a team to go and detain him," Mace explained.

"A team should have been authorised regardless," Obi-Wan said before he could stop himself. "Maybe then Satine wouldn't have died."

That's when it hit him. She was gone, dead, that was it. The shields came crashing down and the waves of his sorrow crashed into every force sensitive around him, knocking them unexpectedly.

It was then that Mace realised his mistake. This wasn't a man who'd been to late to save a nameless planet and leader. This wasn't a man who was angry for not being able to best the man who took his master from him. This was a man who was heartbroken, a man who'd watched the woman he loved die.

Obi-Wan tried to bite the inside of his cheek again to keep from crying but it did nothing, the tears started to well in his eyes. He felt ridiculous standing there and he needed to get out of there as fast as he could.

"Excuse me," His voice came out as barely a whisper before he turned towards the door.

He had expected someone to object but they all just watched as he fled the room, dragging a hand over his face.

Mace watched as the doors clanged shut behind him and sat in silence. Nobody said anything, what could they say? Concern flooded his brain because after all pain is a path to the dark side... isn't it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's chapter 2 (1 if you don't count the prologue) . I hope it wasn't too cringy or bad. I have so so so many ideas for this story, I've been planning it for awhile now and I really hope you all enjoy it. Thanks for reading and hey if you want to you could always click that little kudos button or add a comment. Or not. I'm not your mother I can't tell you what to do.


	3. Mindfulness Over Ignorance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin helps Obi-Wan pick up the pieces. Mace has some wisdom to share with the heartbroken Jedi.

Anakin stood, propped up against the wall with his arms folded and his head hanging. The puzzle pieces hadn't clicked in his brain yet and he was simply lost in millions of different thoughts.

He let out a breath as he tried to process everything that Obi-Wan had said, which wasn't much. He used very little words but Anakin tried to find the meaning behind them. He came up short of an answer, leaving him only frustrated.

Just as he was about to take another dive back into his emotions he felt an overwhelming force push at his brain. It had come from the council chambers and Anakin had only one thought.

_Obi-Wan._

His head swung towards the doors and he wished he could see through walls at that moment. It had to be Obi-Wan, what other explanation was there? The pain was riddled with his force signature. Anakin waited with growing panic for the doors to open so he could run to Obi-Wan.

He didn't have to wait long as a few seconds later the doors swung open and Kenobi swiftly moved from the room. Anakin was still for a few seconds, taking in the view. He saw his masters reddened eyes as he stalked past him. Inside the chambers he spotted Mace Windu with a look that Anakin didn't have the time to dissect. He could have sworn it was concern but he was already running after Obi-Wan without time to wonder.

"Obi-Wan!" He called as he hurried after him.

"Master Kenobi?" A small orange skinned Togrutan female appeared almost out of thin air down the hall. She watched her grandmaster with confusion knitting her eyebrows.

The auburn bearded man rushed past her without a thought and broke out into a sprint towards his quarters. The halls of Temple were relatively empty at this time so he didn't have to worry about the judgemental looks of others, not that he would really care much at this moment.

Anakin slowed to a stop beside his padawan and placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt at a comforting gesture.

"What's wrong with Obi-Wan?" She asked, her voice rife with worry.

Anakin's heart ached for the young girl. "I don't know Snips," Anakin shook his head. "He didn't say anything when he got back, he yelled at me before his briefing and now he's running from the council."

Anakin didn't realise how odd his actions were until he said them out loud. This was the Obi-Wan Kenobi that he knew, he had no idea what was happening. He looked down the hall where Obi-Wan had disappeared before looking back into Ahsoka's large eyes. They always had a strange effect on Anakin. They reminded him of her innocence and the good in the world, they were in a way, his moral compass. She was his moral compass, that little bit of goodness and innocence that he had to protect at all costs.

"I'm worried about him Anakin," Her voice was broken as she tried to hide her emotions the way she'd been told a Jedi should.

"Don't be Snips, I'll find out what's wrong with him okay?" Anakin spoke defiantly. "I promise."

Ahsoka nodded to him. "Just please make sure he's okay?"

Anakin nodded to her before turning down the hall to follow his master. He was walking slower than he had been when he started his journey after Obi-Wan. He knew exactly where the older man had gone, where else was there for him to go besides his quarters. It was the only private space he really had. Anakin remembered when they had shared space as a master and padawan. He hadn't been very grateful back then for Obi-Wan or the close bond they shared. He found himself missing their shared space when he'd moved out.

He eventually arrived at Obi-Wan's door and let out an exhale of breath before reaching for the handle.

* * * * *

Obi-Wan let his door slam behind him as he fell back against the cool metal. He closed his eyes to try and hide from the world around him but his efforts only proved to make everything worse.

_My dear Obi-Wan,_

He shook his head frantically trying to forget everything. The air he desperately needed refusing to enter his lungs.

_I've loved you always,_

He moved from the door trying to pull the armour from his body. He successfully removed the chest plate, letting it fall to the floor with a resounding clang. He was left in his undershirt and the bottom half of his armour.

_I always will._

He slammed himself down onto the couch and let his elbows rest on his knees. He started to thread his hands through his hair before grabbing at the strands in rage. His eyes clamped shut as he pulled. A part of him hoped that if he yanked hard enough the memories would be ripped from his mind.

He had never felt any less like himself, so alone, so helpless. Who was this stranger sitting on his couch? He certainly didn't know him.

He pressed the palms of his hands into his shut eyes with more force than he had intended. His mouth fell open and he wanted to scream. He tried to expel all his pain with one yell but the room remained silent. His throat was closing up and refusing to let any sound out or any air in. He was stuck in a loop of pain and torture with no idea how to get out.

He could hear the broken remains of his heart beating thunderously in his ear. He didn't know how to stop the pain he was feeling, he'd never been taught this at the Temple. He'd been told to release his emotions into the force, to let go. He tried to breath deep and let this go but it refused to leave him, it refused to be ignored.

Obi-Wan removed his hands from his eyes and held one hand to his forehead as his throat opened slightly and the tears fell. The jar of pain had been opened and the cries began. He sat sobbing on his couch with no idea what else to do. He felt so empty, so alone.

It was then that he felt the couch dip beside him and two arms enveloping him in a tight hug. He didn't recognise the feeling at first and it took a few seconds for him to realise he was being held.

"It's okay Obi-Wan," Anakin spoke in slight panic as he held him close. "I'm here for you."

Obi-Wan relaxed into Anakin's embrace as his tears continued to fall. His own arms wrapped around Anakin as he sought shelter from his pain.

"What happened Obi-Wan?" Anakin asked, the concern cracking in his voice. "I can't help you unless you tell me what's wrong."

Anakin's voice told the tale of a man who wanted to help. Obi-Wan gripped him closer needing more than anything to believe he wasn't alone, that he did have someone who cared about him.

"Maul," Obi-Wan cried. "He killed her, she's gone."

Anakin's brain slowed for a moment, not quite understanding what was going on. Then the puzzle clicked into place. His eyes fell on the Mandalorian armour on the floor and he spotted the blood across it. He hadn't noticed it before as it had blended in with the paint but now everything was made crystal clear.

"Obi-Wan," Anakin started not sure what to say. "I'm so sorry," There weren't any words that he felt would suffice in this situation. He didn't believe anything he could say would bring his friend any comfort. All he could do was be there for him and help him pick up the pieces.

"I couldn't save her," He cried into his shoulder. "I couldn't do anything, I just held her while she died."

Anakin felt tears prickle in his own eyes and he gripped Obi-Wan closer. He had a better idea than most of what it felt like to hold someone you love as they breathed their dying breath. It was a pain he wished Obi-Wan would never have to endure.

Anakin didn't know what he could say, neither did Obi-Wan. The two just sat there, hugging, for seconds, seconds that turned to minutes and then hours.

* * * * *

It was after a few hours that Anakin left Obi-Wan alone for some much needed sleep. He had noticed how dozy his former master had been, the crying must have worn him out.

Obi-Wan now lay awake on his couch. He had tried to sleep like Anakin had suggested, he really did but every time he closed his eyes he just saw her face smiling at him, then contorted in pain as Maul drove his blade through her body.

He decided to abandon the idea of sleep and head for the fresher. He peeled the remainder of the armour off and stepped under the steaming spray of water. He let it wash over his face for a time before he pushed his hair back and reached for the soap. The stench of blood and sweat washed away down the drain and was replaced with the sweet scent of clean soap. Obi-Wan wished he could do that, wash away his memories, wash away the pain, wash away her.

That last thought made him go red with anger. He was furious at himself for wishing he could forget her. He didn't want to forget their time together or all the joy she'd made him feel. He loved her, _loves_ her, he knows he always will. He just wished it would be easier. He can't think of any other way out of this pain other than to forget.

He stepped out of the shower feeling fresh and clean but the stain of guilt and failure was still painted over him. He quickly shrugged on a clean pair of robes and ran his hand through his mostly dry hair. He then turned for his door and exited his quarters in search of the Temple gardens.

The walk towards the gardens felt longer than he'd remembered. Perhaps that was down to his slow movements or his rapid thoughts. He wasn't sure what the culprit was but he continued his journey nonetheless. The halls of the Temple were relatively empty especially the ones closer to the gardens. That didn't surprise him too much, younglings weren't permitted access to the gardens until they were padawans. Of course there were a few times in the year when their crèche masters would bring them for visits but today was not one of those days.

Obi-Wan entered the gardens and breathed in the mixed aroma of rare flowers and plants. He remembered bringing Anakin here for the first time. He wasn't as entertained by the fauna as Obi-Wan. Ahsoka was a different story altogether, she adored the gardens. It was one of the main bonding experiences he had with the young Jedi that didn't involve her rouge master. The two would meditate in the gardens together when they were in need of recluse.

Obi-Wan desperately needed that right now, recluse. The company however was something he was rather hoping to avoid. He didn't want Ahsoka to see him so broken and weak so he decided to keep his distance for the time being.

"Master Kenobi."

Obi-Wan knew the owner of the voice and turned to face the older Jedi.

"Master Windu," He took a step towards him. "I would like to apologise for my behaviour earlier at the council meeting, it was unbecoming of a Jedi Master and-"

Mace held up his hand to silence Obi-Wan. He lowered it and clasped both his hands behind his back, beginning down the garden path.

"Walk with me Obi-Wan," Mace spoke as he watched the younger man follow him.

They walked in silence for a few seconds before Mace started speaking.

"I'm sure that what you encountered on your unothorised mission wasn't easy," He said with little emotion in his monotone voice. "I am disappointed."

"I am disappointed in myself too Mace," Obi-Wan hung his head. "I should have done better, I shouldn't have disobeyed the council."

"I'm not disappointed in you Obi-Wan," Mace explained, surprising him. "While yes I am... unimpressed with your defiance of the council, I am disappointed with our position in the matter. The Jedi have become far too political for my tastes. I had hoped we could help with the situation on Mandalore but the war has our hands tied."

Obi-Wan spared a glance at Mace. He hadn't seen this side of him before and it surprised him. He had impenetrable shields so there was no way Obi-Wan could understand what he truly felt but his normal droid facade had soften just a little. It gave Obi-Wan the smallest glimpse into Mace's real emotions.

Obi-Wan then noticed that Mace had stopped walking. He turned his head to follow his line of vision. His eyes fell on a small lily patch. The shards of his heart pressed into his chest, shooting pain and hurting him that much more. His eyes pickled but he refused to let them well with tears.

"How do I forget?" Obi-Wan asked with strain in his voice.

"You don't want to forget," Mace assured him.

"I need it to stop," Obi-Wan sighed. "I can't just keep replaying the same moments over in my mind until I go insane."

Mace paused and looked towards the hurting man. This time the compassion in his eyes was clear as day.

"I can't just meditate this away or release it into the force, it's too much," Obi-Wan tried to explain.

"You seek shelter from your sorrows," Mace stated as if it weren't a question. "Sometimes you can't just release your pain into the force, sometimes it has to be dealt with, felt."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "What?"

"You're well aware of how I chose to learn about the dark side of the force Kenobi, correct?" Obi-Wan nodded his head. "Well while yes digging deeper into your feelings puts you at risk of falling, bottling it up does the same amount of damage."

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. "I just want to forget everything, I need to forget."

"I have always enjoyed these gardens," Mace started out of the blue. "Walking here with Plo and Aayla have to be some of my happiest memories. What are some of your happiest memories Obi-Wan? The best moments of your life?" Mace queried.

Obi-Wan thought for a moment. "The first time Master Qui-Gon took care of me when I fell ill, we watched holodramas all day," Obi-Wan smiled at the memory. "Eating breakfast at Dex's diner with Anakin after he'd moved out of our quarters. Meditating with Ahsoka in the gardens, we'd usually go for tea afterwards. Even though she is more of a kaffe drinker she liked to drink tea with me. The day Satine and I found a small pool in the cave Qui-Gon told us to hide in. Or when we spent time with her allies, they were some strange people."

He smiled at the memory of two siblings in particular, one of whom loved to flirt with Satine much to Obi-Wan's chagrin.

"So then tell me Obi-Wan, why would you want to forget some of the happiest moments of your life?"

Obi-Wan paused, unsure of how to respond.

"While now there's hurt, there was once joy," Mace reminded him. "Sometimes when it comes to the people we love there is no refuge, only pain."

Obi-Wan looked up at him. His mind was frozen. Jedi couldn't love and yet Mace had read his feelings so cavalier. There was no anger or disappointment. He simply wanted to help which left Obi-Wan wondering how he'd never noticed this before.

"Now," Mace smiled towards Obi-Wan. "I shall leave you to your ministrations. Be mindful of your feelings Obi-Wan," He started to walk away only to pause and turn back. "Being mindful doesn't mean to ignore, at least not in my book."

With that he was gone, leaving Obi-Wan to stare at the lily patch and think of the woman he loved and lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so next chapter will see us take the jump to the birth of the Skywalker twins. I'm skipping over all the Palpatine crap because it's not really relevant to this particular story. I'm going to be skipping over a few scenes because they don't really have a place and I think it would all fit better if they happen off screen or if I do some eventual flashbacks. 
> 
> Anyways let me know what you think, hopefully this isn't too OOC, I'm trying to keep them as in character as I can while still moving the plot forward and letting them grow. Also I feel like Mace wouldn't be as stuck on the code as everyone else seems to believe. He decided to learn about the dark side and all that even though he was warned against it so I think he of all people would see the good in harnessing your emotions and letting yourself feel. I don't know, just a headcanon over here. Sorry for the long note, I tend to ramble when left unattended. 
> 
> (Also if anyone picked up on the 'Scorpion' quote in there, you are my favourite person) 
> 
> Not sure how to end this and wrap it all up so I'm just gonna go with bye😁


	4. Hospital Visits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan and Ahsoka meet the Skywalker twins. Anakin and Ahsoka worry about Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan hurried down the halls of the hospital, towards the room he'd been informed they were in. It had been quite the day and Obi-Wan had to deal with one shock after another. The Chancellor, the real plot behind the war, Anakin's marriage and Padmé going into labour were just a few of the recent troubles.

He turned a corner and looked around with a squint. Each hall and room looked exactly the same to him, pristine white walls with metal doors. How anyone could find their way around here was beyond him. He turned one last corner and his feet stopped moving.

He hadn't seen her in so long and when she'd suddenly shown up it had flipped his world upside down. He took a slow step towards her as their eyes met. It was uncomfortable, more than he would have liked.

"General," She spoke coldly. "Padmé and Anakin asked if we could wait outside for a bit while they time with their newborns."

"Newborns?" His eyes widened.

"Twins," She told him.

She was only a few feet away but she felt farther away than ever before. They had been so close once and Obi-Wan was left wondering how their relationship had deteriorated in such a horrid way.

"Ahsoka," He started not fully sure what he was going to say.

"I think I'd rather wait in silence," She said before he had the chance to explain. "I'm not really in the mood for small talk."

Obi-Wan watched her turn her back to him. A little part of him died in that moment. He saw it in almost slow motion, the bond that they had formed was stripped from existence, Ahsoka being the one to cut it's ties.

He wanted to say so much but he remained silent. In typical Kenobi fashion he choked down the words he wished he had spoken.

_Ahsoka wait, please don't shut me out._

It was on the tip of his tongue but he simply bit the inside of his cheek and let out a sigh.

Ahsoka heard his sigh and pinched down on her forearm. She was glad her back was turned to him, she didn't want him to see her glassy eyes. She didn't know what else to do. She had to cut him out after everything, he hurt her too much. She looked down to where she was pinching her arm and let go, rubbing over the skin to relieve some of the pain.

"Did Anakin say anything?" Obi-Wan asked her.

"About you? No," She told him without turning around.

The silence engulfed them once again. Ahsoka could feel tears begging to fall. She desperately wanted to turn around and run into Obi-Wan's arms and finally allow herself to cry. But how could she? After everything he'd put her through, she was expelled from the order and he did nothing. He didn't even care enough to help her and that broke her.

It was then that a med droid rolled out of Anakin and Padmé's room. Ahsoka moved towards the archway and craned her neck into the room. The sight made her heart melt. Anakin sat on the edge of the bed cradling a baby in his arms with Padmé lying next to him doing the same. The smiles on their faces where something Ahsoka hadn't witnessed before. She'd never seen Anakin this overjoyed.

Anakin lifted his head up to find Ahsoka standing in the doorway. His smile widened, if that were even possible as she moved to stand beside the bed.

She opened her mouth to speak but eventually shook her head with a smile. Her eyes watered just a little, partially due to the earlier emotions, Obi-Wan brought on.

"They're beautiful," Ahsoka smiled as she looked up at Anakin.

Anakin grinned back at her with teary eyes when he noticed Obi-Wan standing in the doorway. His smile dropped and he turned to Ahsoka, carefully handing her his young daughter. He then moved towards Obi-Wan with a hesitancy in his steps.

"Master," Anakin started. "I don't know how to explain this, I, I know I broke the code-"

"Big time," Obi-Wan interrupted. "However I'm more concerned with the fact that you have yet to introduce me to your children."

Anakin paused. His blinking sped up as he tried to process the words he was hearing.

"What?" He asked. "You mean you're not mad?" His words were drenched with inflection.

"Not mad," Obi-Wan shrugged. "More disappointed."

Anakin's shoulders drooped at the words. He had expected to hear them but that didn't mean they would hurt any less.

"At myself," Obi-Wan explained upon seeing Anakin's hurt.

Anakin's head shot up. "What?"

"I failed you Anakin, I should have been the kind of master that you could confide in," He shook his head. "I should have done better by you, for that I truly am sorry."

"Obi-Wan-" Anakin started.

"Come now Anakin," Obi-Wan brushed past him. "Introduce us to these angels."

Anakin frowned for a moment at Obi-Wan's deflection but turned back to his children with a smile, regardless. He returned to where Ahsoka stood and carefully scooped his newborn out of her arms.

"This little princess is Leia," Anakin smiled down at his babbling daughter.

Obi-Wan watched Anakin fawn over his children with mixed emotions. While he was so happy for his friend- his brother and the family he'd built with Padmé, he was also mildly jealous. He wondered if this happiness and fulfilment was something he could have had. Perhaps if he didn't wait for her to ask, if he'd just decided to stay with her. They could have built their own family, he could have been a husband and a father.

He wanted to scream at himself. He hadn't thought about her in months, he'd locked away his memories against Mace's advice. Now they decide to jump back into his mind. She was in his mind now and he didn't know how to get her out. He bit down on his tongue and smiled at Anakin.

"She's perfect, she looks just like her mother," He threw Padmé a smile. She returned it lazily but she looked exhausted.

The baby in Padmé's arms started to fuss and grasp at the soft blue blanket on the bed.

"And this little guy is Luke," Padmé spoke wearily, leaning down to place a soft kiss on the baby's forehead.

Ahsoka leaned over to peek at the baby's squinting face. A smile overtook her face when she noticed the ocean blue of his eyes.

"Hey, he's got your eyes Skyguy," She grinned at the baby.

Anakin looked up from Leia with an almost dazed smile.

"Yeah I guess he does," He told her.

A quiet filled the room, all the problems and unanswered questions they'd faced seemed to float away all just for a fleeting moment. Just that one moment of peace, a moment that couldn't last.

Obi-Wan looked up from Leia and glanced towards Ahsoka.

"I know now probably isn't the time," He began, adjusting his posture to his usual professional, Jedi stance. "But Ahsoka, I have to know what happened... on Mandalore."

Ahsoka adjusted herself to stand taller, her face hardening in an attempt to conceal her emotions. She wanted to run to Obi-Wan and hug him, she knew how hard this could be for him. But she didn't, she stood her ground and held her head high.

"It went well," She began. "With everything going on I forgot to mention it. Bo-Katan succeeded in securing the throne of Mandalore, herself and the remains of Death Watch are working to repair their system."

"In political terms, where does she stand?" Obi-Wan was afraid of her response.

"I'm not sure," She shrugged. "Korkie has been groomed to take over the throne by Sat-" She cleared her throat realising her slip up. "Bo-Katan's views may have changed after... what Maul did but I truly have no idea. Korkie is old enough to take the throne and perhaps that's what Bo-Katan will decide, she really isn't the political type. I'm sorry I can't be of more help but I don't know much else."

"No thank you Ahsoka," Obi-Wan nodded. "It's... an unfortunate situation."

Unfortunate. There was so many other words he could have used but they would have been accompanied by him throwing something which he never did and refused to start now. He wanted to scream, everything she'd worked for, almost died for, gone. Decades of work, gone and whose fault was it?

"Maul?" Obi-Wan asked.

"In custody, at the Temple," She told him cautiously.

"Alright, thank you for that Ahsoka," Obi-Wan nodded towards Padmé and Anakin. "It had been a pleasure meeting your children Anakin but I must now attend to a long awaited meeting."

He turned towards the door and made his way out of the room.

"Obi-Wan!" Anakin called, carefully handing his daughter over to Ahsoka before rushing after Obi-Wan. "Obi-Wan!" He called again after exiting the room.

The auburn haired Jedi turned back to his former apprentice with a sigh.

"What Anakin?" He shifted his weight on his feet. "Shouldn't you be with your wife and newborns?"

"Yes I should but I'm worried about you," Anakin tried to explain. "Is confronting Maul really the best idea? He _will_ bring up Qui-Gon and Satine-"

"Anakin please don't," Obi-Wan looked like he wanted to fold in on himself.

"No, I can't even say her name without you reacting like this. You close yourself off and ignore your pain, it's not good," Anakin took a step closer, lowering his voice. "We haven't even spoken of it since that night, Obi-Wan you were distraught and that's putting it mildly. Forgive my concern but can you really handle Mauls taunts."

Obi-Wan let that thought float in his brain for a few seconds. Could he handle it? Probably not, but he had to, for her, he owed her at least that.

"I'll be fine, I promise."

With a soft smile he turned and left the new father to go face the monster who'd taken that possibility from him.

* * * * *

Anakin returned to the room to find Padmé seconds away from sleep. He moved towards her and placed a kiss on her forehead, scooping Luke out of her arms. He turned to Ahsoka who was smiling down at Leia, rocking her gently in her arms and motioned towards the chairs across the room.

Ahsoka followed him over and sat down across from his quietly.

"So he's going to see him?" She asked quietly.

"Ever the determined one," Anakin smiled, an uncomfortable one that didn't quite reach his eyes. "He's going to be heartbroken, I just know it. Maul is going to destroy him again, he's going to bring it all back up," Anakin shook his head in a mix of frustration and anger. "He thinks he'll be fine, that he's dealt with it but I know he hasn't. He can't even hear her name without claming up. You should have seen him that night Ahsoka, it was horrible, I've never seen him like that before."

Ahsoka was conflicted. She was hurt by how Obi-Wan treated her when she was cast from the Order but she still cared about him. She wanted him to be happy and okay regardless of how he'd hurt her.

"You never did tell me what happened that night," She started gently. "I was too afraid to ask back then... but now?"

Anakin waited, he didn't know if he should tell her. He didn't want to damage her image of Obi-Wan more than it already was. He knew despite their tension that she still cared and it was that simple fact that made him share with her the broken moment.

"I don't know what happened during his meeting with the council. He didn't say anything about it he just... just broke," Anakin's face contorted at either the memory or at lack of a good phrase, Ahsoka didn't know. "I walked into his quarters and he was sobbing, sobbing Ahsoka, he could barely get the words out. And he hasn't addressed it since, there is no way in hell that he's dealt with this."

Ahsoka simply sat with him in silence, she had no idea how to respond to that.

"Why didn't he ever tell me about her?" Ahsoka finally asked. "Even when I was sent to Mandalore to teach, he didn't say anything. He told you all about her, about their past. Did he not trust me enough?"

"Ahsoka he trusts you," Anakin reassured her. "He only told me because I asked and I refused to take no for an answer."

"Maybe we should have gone with him to Mandalore," Ahsoka mulled over her thoughts. "Maybe we could have helped him and the outcome would have been entirely different."

"You barely even look at him now Ahsoka," Anakin pointed out. "And besides, we had no idea he was even gone, he didn't ask for our help. He just had to go and bury his pain all on his own didn't he."

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes at Anakin for a moment.

"That's a little unfair Anakin," She didn't see this day ending with her defending Obi-Wan to Anakin but here she was. "You're one to talk about burying things and not asking for help," She nodded her head in the direction of a slumbering Padmé. "It's more complicated than that. You weren't raised from birth by the Jedi, you knew that these feelings were normal but Obi-Wan has been a Jedi since day. You have to remember Anakin that whatever he felt for Satine was very different than what you feel for Padmé. He has always been told that it was wrong and that's what he believed. Asking for help from the people who were supposed to look up to him would've been too much. He thought that what he was doing was wrong when really it was one of his braver decisions. Even though it didn't work out in his favour I admire the fact that he did what he thought was right."

Anakin let out a laugh of disbelief and shook his head.

"How did you get so wise?" He asked. "There is no way that this is the little Snips I met on Christophsis."

Ahsoka smiled back at him. "It's been a while, I have plenty of stories that might surprise you."

Anakin smiled at her and let himself be content with these moments of peace. If the past had proven anything, he was sure that it wouldn't last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay chapter 4 is up!! I'm trying to have this make sense with as little plot holes and inconsistencies as I can but I'm finding it more difficult than I anticipated. I keep unintentionally going back on what I'd previously said (little bit like the sequels) and needing to delete everything, quite the 'amusing contradiction' indeed. Anyways next chapter will see Obi-Wan confronting Maul. It should be... interesting. Also Mauls gone a little psycho well, more psycho, you'll see. Thanks for reading :)


	5. The Prisoner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan sees Maul for the first time since Satine's death.

Obi-Wan made his way down the halls towards where he knew Maul was kept. He wasn't entirely sure if he should even be doing this. Was he ready to see the man who took so much from him? Definitely not. Yet he was still choosing to do so. Maybe he just liked to cause himself emotional pain. He liked to think that he was immune from such feelings being a Jedi but he was smarter than that. He knew he felt them more than most, perhaps due to his tendency to ignore them.

The Temple was much darker near the prison cells, fitting he supposed. It almost didn't feel like the Jedi Temple, it was so dark and cold, both in temperature and general atmosphere.

Obi-Wan spotted the cell where two guards stood outside on either side of the door. Their armour reflected the dim lights shining from the juncture where the walls met the ground. The crimson colour reminded him of the blade that was used to cut down his former-

He shook the thought from his brain and stopped in front of the guards.

"Master Kenobi," One spoke, standing up straighter in the presence of the Jedi before him.

"At ease gentlemen," Obi-Wan nodded. "I'd like to see our prisoner."

"The prisoner already has-"

"Now please!" Obi-Wan didn't mean to snap and he instantly regreted it but the day, the week, the month, the year had been draining him.

The guards stepped aside to allow Kenobi entrance to the cell. The doors slid open and Obi-Wan stepped inside before they slid shut behind him.

"Master Kenobi!" Mace Windu spoke with a slight narrow of his eyes.

"Master Windu!" Obi-Wan stated with surprise. It was then that he noticed that Mace wasn't the only Jedi in the crimson lit room. Beside him stood Aayla Secura and Plo Koon. They all stood in such a way that he couldn't see the Zabrak behind them but he knew he was there.

"What are you doing here?" Mace asked him. "I thought you went to see Skywalker?"

Obi-Wan took a few steps closer. "I did, everything was fine there, I ran into Ahsoka and she told me everything."

Mace had opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the prisoner standing behind Plo and Aayla.

"Kenobi," He drawled his name like it was a bad taste in his mouth. "I was wondering when you would pay me a visit."

Plo and Aayla stepped out of the way, turning to face Maul, giving Obi-Wan a clear view of him. His legs and arms were restrained and he had a metal collar around his neck, a force dampener Obi-Wan noted, he was more familiar with them than he would have liked to be. He still wore the awful grin that Obi-Wan had engraved into his brain.

"Maul," Obi-Wan returned his name with equal distaste. "I have to say I quite like this look, chains suit you."

He knew it was very un-Jedilike to be snarky but he couldn't help it. This man, if he could even be called such, had taken so much from him so a little taunting seemed fair enough. Obi-Wan should have known that it was a bad idea, it wasn't until he saw Maul's grin darken that he realised his mistake.

"Yes I suppose they do," He began.

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes as he moved closer to him. He knew he had to be building to something but he wasn't sure what that somethings was just yet.

"Although I find they tend to have that effect on most people," He made eye contact with Obi-Wan before speaking his next words. "They certainly suited your Duchess."

Obi-Wan froze. Anakin had warned him, he told him this would happen, he himself knew this would happen. That didn't mean it didn't feel like a lightsaber to the heart.

"Ah yes," Maul continued upon seeing Obi-Wan's ghostly face. "The lovely, lovely Satine."

"Don't you dare say her name," Obi-Wan spoke quietly.

"Oh my, have I touched a nerve?" Maul asked with feigned concern.

Obi-Wan simply glared, he didn't know what else to do, he just knew that he needed to stay calm. He told Anakin he could handle this and that was what he was going to do. He took a breath and collected himself.

"I didn't come here to talk to you about S- her," He tried to cover up his fumble with her name to the best of his abilities but the emotions he'd been locking away to keep calm broke through in his voice.

"Her?" Maul laughed to himself. "How amorously doting."

"I'm not talking to you about her," Obi-Wan returned firmly.

"Then what, pray tell, did you come down here for?" Maul asked. "Certainly not to engage in small talk like old friends."

"We are _not_ old friends," Obi-Wan spoke his words like they were poison. "And I just thought I'd come see how life in a cell was suiting you."

"Gloating?" Maul raised his eyebrows. "That's very unlike you."

"You know nothing about me," Obi-Wan shook his head.

"Oh, quite the contrary," Maul smirked. "I've had nothing else to think about since you left me for dead on Naboo. Nothing but you and the thought that I would one day have my revenge. I spent years thinking of how I could bring you more pain, more torture. Yes, I killed your master but that wasn't enough. Then the perfect tool for my vengeance was dropped into my lap in the form of a pacifist Duchess."

Obi-Wan bit down hard on the inside of his gum. He could feel his teeth piercing the skin, slowly but surely. The copper taste of blood filled his mouth as the tiniest of drops landed on his tongue.

"You can thank Visla and Almec really," Maul told him. "They told me everything, all about how she was your weakness. I had been planning that moment for days, weeks, since before we took over Mandalore. You have no idea Kenobi, no idea, the pain I can cause you."

"I think you've done quite enough," Obi-Wan argued.

"You think that's all?" Maul laughed before he realised that Obi-Wan truly did. His features took on a more serious malice. "Oh you do, you really do, you fool. You thought that was it? What that I'd stab her in front of you and that would be it? I am not finished with our little game Kenobi, I'm not nearly done with you or your pacifist sweetheart."

"She's dead," Obi-Wan raised his voice. "You can't hurt her any more than you already have," Obi-Wan took a step closer to him with a fire in his eyes. "You really see this as a game? Even if it were, it would not be your turn to strike. You took so much from me and all I got in the end was your legs. You destroyed everything she worked for, years spent trying to bring peace to a planet ruined by war. She healed a broken society and you destroyed it all in a matter of hours, her entire lif-"

"I did nothing of the sort," Maul practically screamed with joy. "You did, it was all you. You made her a target, she was never the one I was trying to hurt. It was always you, she was just a means to an end. I went after your heart and she was where you kept it. That is nobody's fault but your own, your own silly feelings were what ended her life, not me. Her blood is on your hands Kenobi, not mine."

"You took her from me!" Obi-Wan shouted back before he even realised it.

A million words spun around his head. He'd done it again, he'd failed to gain control over his emotions and they exploded at the worst possible time, right in front of Maul and members of the council. He felt like a youngling.

" _I took her from you_?" Maul asked with disbelief. "You hadn't seen her in years, you made no attempt to contact her when you left her to restore Mandalore alone. You left her to lonely nights spent crying herself to sleep with nobody there to soothe her nightmares. You abandoned her, she was nothing to you, you treated her like she was nothing."

Obi-Wan opened his mouth as if to argue but quickly clamped it shut when he realised he had nothing to say. His could feel the pain in the back of his head, of tears begging to show themselves. He wanted to go back to when Anakin had run after him, to listen to him and follow his advice. But he was stuck here.

"She was _nothing,_ I took _nothing_ from you."

_She was everything,_ Obi-Wan wanted to scream but didn't. In typical Kenobi fashion he bit down the words he wanted to speak most.

"Poor little Satine, all alone." Maul snarled. "Her father, her brother, her mother, dead. Her sister abandoning her to join the terrorist organisation hell bent on seeing her head on a pike. All her closest confidants turned on her, Visla, Almec to name a few. She was counting on you and you failed. She wasted so much of her time thinking about you, loving you."

Obi-Wan still couldn't force the words out of his throat. He wanted to, to prove him wrong but he simply couldn't.

"Love," Maul spoke like the word sickened him. "Something you couldn't even return. She used her last breaths on you, wasted. Too afraid to break your insipid little code to say anything. You're a coward Kenobi and she knew it too. You made sure to crush her heart before I even entered the picture. Congratulations, you killed her before I even had the chance."

"That's not true," Obi-Wan found himself saying. "You know nothing about me or about her," He tried to keep his voice free from passion but the emotion was seeping through the cracks in his resolve. He knew Maul was simply trying to get a reaction out of him and was ashamed to admit that it was working.

"You, perhaps not everything," Maul admitted. "But your darling Duchess, your sweet Satine," Maul spoke mockingly. "I know everything about her."

"You know nothing," Obi-Wan tried to keep calm.

"I had her locked up in a cell much like this one for some time," Maul stated. "I learned so many things about her and the most interesting fact would be the one I've been waiting to share with you."

Obi-Wan swallowed the lump forming in his throat as he waited for Maul to speak.

"She _hated_ you Kenobi." Maul snarled.

"You're lying," Obi-Wan glared at him. "She did not hate me, she..."

"What? Loved you?" He mocked. "Yes I suppose she did but the hate and anger she held against you was astonishing to be quite honest. She despised you with a burning passion. She hated herself for still loving you, for counting on you."

"That's not true," Obi-Wan said out loud although he was really trying to convince himself.

"You broke her, killed her heart," Maul laughed. "You made her hate herself, hate you. Towards the end it wasn't love, purely hate. You couldn't even leave her alone after you abandoned her. You had to show up after so many years and become the cause of her death. You made her wish she never loved you. Of all the idiotic things she'd done she truly believed that to be her worst mistake."

"Haven't you done enough Maul?" Obi-Wan yelled at him before he knew what he was doing. "Haven't you taken enough? You needn't remind me of how I failed her. I don't need you to tell me, I relive that moment every day. Every time I close my eyes that's what I see," Obi-Wan felt his eyes sting with the need to sprout tears but fought against it. The emotion choked out in his next words but he was far past the point of caring. "Why couldn't you have just killed me, why did you have to go after her? Why couldn't you just leave her alone?"

"Obi-Wan!" Mace finally spoke.

Obi-Wan swung his head away from the gloating Zabrak. He was instantly coated in a cloud of shame as he met the eyes of the older Jedi master.

Mace moved to stand beside Obi-Wan and looked to Maul with a glare before meeting Kenobi's eyes once again. He didn't speak any words but his meaning made its way into Obi-Wan's mind. He then turned for the door and made to leave the cell with the distraught Jedi following closely after.

Upon hearing the sound of the cell doors close behind them, Mace turned to Obi-Wan and inspected him with a mix of concern and disappointment.

"Why would you come here?" Mace asked. "I told you to deal with your feelings not lock them up so they can be the cause of your torment. You should have known Maul would do this too you."

"I did know," Obi-Wan explained. "I just... ignored reason because I thought I could handle it."

"You can't," Mace stated. "You are in too much pain that you have yet to deal with."

"Anakin said the same thing," Obi-Wan shrugged.

"The new father," Mace almost scoffed. "How wise."

That brought Obi-Wan to another problem he had been wrestling with.

"Actually I think Anakin is fairly wise," Obi-Wan began. "He broke the code, yes that's true but what was that code if not a huge problem to us all. That was the same code that allowed us to be led by a Sith for so long without realising. While a code and rules are essential to the Jedi life I don't think the ones we currently follow are working. I know lying was wrong on Anakin's part but what other choice did he have?"

"Master Kenobi we have lived by this code for as long as anyone can remember, what exactly are you suggesting?" Mace asked with furrowed brows that indicated a slight unease.

"We have been following the same rules for centuries. Times change and if we don't evolve with them we risk being wiped out. I believe that the council should rethink the code, it needs to be looked at again, the whole order needs to change after what happened with Palpatine."

Mace stared at him for a few moments of quiet and Obi-Wan was sure he would get reprimanded. He'd just lost his control with Maul, practically admitted to breaking the code and questioned said code in front of perhaps it's biggest stickler in the order, or so Obi-Wan assumed.

"You aren't entirely wrong," Mace conceded with a sigh. "We have been fools, allowing Palpatine to gain such control when we had so many opportunities to put a stop to it. A conversation does need to be had concerning the future of the code, that much you are right about," After a pause Mace added, "And what rule may I ask do you have a problem with in particular?"

Obi-Wan looked at him with blank eyes. They both already knew the answer. Obi-Wan truly didn't have anything to gain from arguing this point, aside from helping his brother and making him happy. There was nothing he himself could get out of it but he knew it was the right thing to do, he always knew. It just took losing Qui-Gon, losing Satine and finally confronting Maul to give him the courage to speak up.

"Attachments are not a path to the dark side," He stated boldly. "While that is the case for some, it is not the general consensus. In every group there will be the few exceptions but the rules shouldn't be made to suit them. The rest of us are made stronger by this, they make us better and remind us who we as Jedi are protecting. Padmé makes Anakin a better man, she helps give him a sense of compassion. If ever there was a time he would risk falling it was his very attachments that kept him hanging on. Myself, Ahsoka, Padmé, Rex, his family, they keep him grounded," Obi-Wan lowered his voice just a little bit. "Satine was the only thing that stopped me from ending Maul's life and anyone else around him. Once he took her I wanted to hurt everyone around me in the most brutal ways I could imagine," Obi-Wan sounded disgusted with himself. "It was the closest I've ever been to falling to the dark side but Satine was the very reason I didn't do any of it. She loved me because I did the right thing, I had to be that man for her. Overcoming that darkness made me a better Jedi and it brought me closer to the light than I ever could have been."

Mace's features softened as he listened to Obi-Wan. Here he was before him, telling him everything, finally, finally dealing with his feelings. Mace simply watched him, letting his words roll around his head.

"I'm truly sorry Obi-Wan," Mace told him with a solemn look. "We should have done more to help the Duchess. We should have done more to help everyone, everywhere in the galaxy. You're right, we need to do better, we need to evolve."

Obi-Wan looked at Mace with widened eyes. Over the past months, after Satine's death, he'd witnessed an entirely different Mace Windu than the one he'd known his entire life. It was then that he realised how exhausted he was. Mace seemed to pick up on it soon.

"Now is not the time for this discussion Obi-Wan," Mace nodded. "Please go and rest, you need it. Tomorrow we can begin what will be a long and tedious process but for now you need a break."

Obi-Wan nodded towards the older master before turning down the hall. He knew when he arrived back at his quarters that the tears would start. He also knew that it was okay to cry, to accept his feelings or at least begin to. He watched the woman he loved be murdered and with her a small piece of his soul.

As he walked down the hall, noticing the lights get brighter the farther away he walked, he felt the small salty droplets form at the corner of his eyes. He didn't wipe them away, he let them appear. Mace had told him to let himself feel and that is what he would do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying not to make it too sappy but romance is my favourite genre. I know it's not the main genre in Star Wars though so I'm trying to add bits of everything else. The next chapter will be Ahsoka Tano and Mace Windu centric with a bit of action. I'm not the best at writing action sequences but I tried my best. I hope you liked this chapter. If you liked it feel free to comment, reading them is one of my favourite things, anyway I hoped you enjoyed :)


	6. The Things That She Missed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mace remembers what happened at the Chancellors office and talks with Yoda. Ahsoka catches up with Rex and Plo.

It was much earlier the next day when Mace Windu brought the topic up to Yoda. It was only ten hours before that he had sent Obi-Wan to sleep for the night. They were on their way to the council room when he broke the topic.

"Something happened yesterday when Plo, Aayla and I went to interrogate Maul," He began.

Yoda looked up at him, silently telling him to continue.

"Obi-Wan showed up," He said.

Yoda let out a sigh and looked down at the ground.

"Terrible idea, this was," He shook his head. "Bring more pain, this will."

"Maul did exactly as expected, he taunted Obi-Wan over the Duchess, I knew he would. But then I took him outside the cell and we spoke freely about the Order," Mace explained.

Yoda laughed a little to himself. "Problems with attachments, Obi-Wan has."

Mace furrowed his brows at how the Jedi had gotten it right on the nose.

"Yes," He said. "And I'm almost inclined to agree with him. He spoke of all the problems with the code and he was right. We have been fooled by the Sith for years. A meeting should be arranged with the council members to reassess the code. Maybe nothing will change but the discussion must be had. We have allowed ourselves to be led into war blindly and if it weren't for Skywalker we might not have come out of it alive."

Mace thought back to what had gone down at the Chancellor's office. He had never been a good friend or even acquaintance to Anakin. Given the events of that day however, he had become much more thankful to have him in the Order. He had begun to truly respect him and he fully believed that without him he wouldn't have made it out alive.

* * * * *

_Mace strode down the hall with Agen, Kit and Saesee by his side. He remembered what Skywalker had told him._

_'I think Chancellor Palpatine is a Sith Lord'_

_This could be it, the end of the war, he saw it so clearly in his mind. He knew he had to be prepared for the worst, this was a man they had all come to trust, a man who had managed to deceive them for years._

_Mace watched as the door hissed open, a feeling of cold air hitting him. It was all so clear in the force to him at this moment that he wondered how he had been so blind. The darkness radiated off the old man sitting in his chair watching them with a worryingly proud smile._

_"In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you're under arrest, Chancellor," Mace stated, igniting his lightsaber._

_"Are you threatening me Master Jedi?" He asked coyly._

_Mace stood his ground, looking upon him with a stone cold glare._

_"The Senate will decide your fate," Mace spoke._

_"I_ am _the Senate!" Palpatine snarled._

_"Not yet," Mace continued to watch him, prepared for whatever might happen next._

_"It's treason then," Palpatine responded._

_Quicker than Mace had expected, the Chancellor leaped into the air, a lightsaber igniting in his hand as he did so. Mace couldn't see where the glowing blade had come from but he didn't have time to think. He moved forward to engage the old man. Before he even had a chance to do anything, Palpatine struck down Saesee, killing him with a grin on his face. Mace swung his lightsaber at him, connecting their blades with a clash. He felt himself be pushed and moved back for a moment. A moment was all Palpatine needed, he turned and flung his blade around to hit against Agen's._

_Kolar only made contact with his blade once before he felt a sharp pain in his side as the bright red weapon sliced him with a burning hiss. He fell to the ground, holding his side in agonising pain._

_Kit moved forward with determination in his piercing gaze. He hit his blade against the Sith Lord's and pushed on it to move him back. He hit his weapon a few more times before his fate became the same as Agen's. He fell to the ground when the Sith weapon hit him._

_It was only Mace left standing and he refused to let the older man win. He fought with fierce aggression, the only sound he could hear being that of his heartbeat in his ear and the clashing of their weapons. He wasn't sure when but at some point the sound of the window shattering broke out over the clashing and heartbeats. He continued to fight until he heard footsteps running behind him. The small grin on Palpatine's face grew larger when he caught sight of their uninvited guest. The Chancellor spoke to the new arrival._

_"Anakin. I was right, I told you it would come to this! The Jedi are taking over!" He shouted._

_"The oppression of the Sith will never return!" Mace pushed back against him. "Your plot to regain control of the Republic has failed! It's over, it's over you have lost!"_

_"No... no... no! You will die!"Palpatine shouted as he hit back._

_Anakin watched helplessly not knowing what to do. He watched as Mace disarmed the Chancellor who now cowered by the window._

_"I'm going to put an end to this once and for all!" Mace shouted over the sound of Coruscant night life blaring behind him._

_"You can't," Anakin pleaded, moving forward. "He must stand trial."_

_"He has control over the Senate and all the courts," Mace argued, pointed his weapon at the Sith. "He is too dangerous to be left alive."_

_"That's not the Jedi way," He argued. "He must live."_

_Mace was about to strike him down when he paused. Anakin was right, it wasn't the Jedi way, he shouldn't strike down an unarmed man. But he had caused so much pain and destruction, he really was too dangerous. Mace continued contemplating what to do, inadvertently given Palpatine the upper hand._

_It moved almost in slow motion to Anakin. He saw Palpatine move his hand up ready to strike. He looked to Mace who didn't notice. His small moment of reflection had distracted him. Anakin ignited his lightsaber and held it in front of Mace, protecting him from the bolt of force lightning._

_"Anakin stop," Palpatine growled. "He must die, all the Jedi must die."_

_"No!" Anakin cried out. He didn't know what to do but he couldn't let his family die. Not when Ahsoka had finally returned home._

_Palpatine used the force to fling Anakin across the room, giving him full access to Mace. He continued to shoot him with lightning and he attempted to defend himself._

_Anakin felt his body hit the ground and heard a groan from Kit Fisto who was lying in pain a few feet away. Anakin hadn't notice him when he came in. It finally hit him then and there that this was Palpatine's doing, he had caused all the pain that Anakin had felt for the last three years during the war. Anakin crawled to his feet and igniting his blue blade, turning back to Mace and Palpatine._

_"The Jedi will die," Palpatine was saying as he hit Mace's lightsaber out of his hand. "The Sith will rise again."_

_Mace felt the jolt of force lightning hit him, making him writhe in pain. He felt like this was the end, the end of his life, the end of the Jedi, the end of peace. Then the pain stopped. Mace looked up to find the Chancellor's face contorted in pain with a blue blade through his heart. The light disappeared and the lifeless body of the Sith Lord fell to the ground revealing Anakin standing behind him with tears in his eyes._

_"Master Windu are you alright?" Anakin asked as he ran towards the man who lay breathless and exhausted on the ground._

_Words were failing him so he settled for a simple nod. He glanced over to the fallen Jedi, Saesee was dead but he could still feel Agen and Kit clinging onto life through the force._

_"I'm sorry," Anakin hurried as he tried to bite back his tears. "This was all my fault."_

_He watched as Anakin ran from the room before returning with medics and that was all he remembered before his vision went dark._

* * * * *

"Different, your opinion of Skywalker seems," Yoda noted.

"I believe I may have gotten him wrong before," Mace admitted. "He saved my life and the lives of Kit and Agen. He is a good Jedi, even though he can't seem to follow instructions to save his life."

"Save you Skywalker's disregard for authority did," Yoda laughed.

"Yes, perhaps I am slightly thankful that he is compulsively defiant," Mace almost smiled.

"Meet with the rest of the council, we must," Yoda nodded to Mace.

Mace nodded back. He had a feeling that large changes were on the horizon, not just for the Jedi but for the entire galaxy.

* * * * *

Ahsoka pinched at her arm while biting the inside of her cheek as she walked through the Temple with Rex. She knew what he was saying was important but she couldn't stop thinking about Obi-Wan. He hurt her but she still cared about him, she still wanted him to be okay. His visit with Maul yesterday clung to her mind, she wanted desperately to know what had happened during that meeting.

"Commander, you're doing it again," Rex's voice broke through her thoughts.

Ahsoka's head swung over to him and she gently rubbed over the spot on her arm.

"Sorry, I've just been thinking," She explained.

Rex was silent for a moment, it was only a few seconds but it felt longer purely because of the speed at which his thoughts were moving. He wasn't sure how to talk to Ahsoka much anymore. She had returned a completely different woman than before. She was less sure of herself, less confident and happy, more broken. Rex hated seeing her like this, she was his best friend before she left and after he'd lost so many of his brothers he couldn't stand to see her leave too.

"Anything in particular?" He prodded gently to see if she would open up.

"Obi-Wan," She answered with a small hesitancy. "I just can't help being mad at him after everything. We were so close before the bombing, he was like family to me, he _was_ my family. He was so cold when I left, he barely spoke to me and he just allowed the council to expel me. Yet through all that anger I'm still worried about him. I shouldn't have let him go and see Maul, Rex. It was a horrible idea, he would only taunt him and further break his heart."

Rex watched her wondering if he should say anything. Cody and himself were very close, closer than most clones, especially considering the fact that they weren't even in the same battalion. Cody had told him a lot about Obi-Wan's behaviour on missions and Rex even noticed it himself when he was with them.

"Commander," Rex began. "Cody and the boys in the 212th have noticed something different with the General ever since you left."

Ahsoka looked at him almost afraid to ask. "What do you mean?" She asked.

"He was more absent," He made a face, struggling with the words. "I'm not sure how to describe it, he was there but he wasn't there. He always had a sort of vacant look in his eyes. They already noticed it when he came back from Mandalore but after you left it became much more apparent."

Ahsoka hadn't even thought of that. He'd just lost Satine and then she left. Maybe that's why he was so distant. Was he afraid to lose her too?

"I had forgotten about that," She told him. "That's why I'm worried about him. I know Maul will bring her up. Anakin even told me about how Obi-Wan acted the night he returned. He was heartbroken and he hasn't dealt with his pain," Ahsoka started to almost get mad at him for his lack of self care. "He never does, he always tries to be strong for everyone else. It's not fair."

Rex let out a sigh knowing how true her words were.

"The General is hard on himself, he has been since the day I met him," Rex repositioned his helmet under his arm. "Maybe you should talk to him... this seems like it's bothering you quite a bit."

"I can't talk to him!" Ahsoka answered a little quicker than intended. "I can't Rex, not after everything that he's done or I suppose not done. I'll probably just make it worse somehow."

"You won't," Rex tried to convince her. "Look I'm not good at the emotional stuff, it's not exactly in our programing," He gave a small smirk. "But I think you two might do good if you talk to each other. The war has been tough on us all, I've lost countless brothers and the only thing that gets me through it is the time spent with the brothers I still have. You've both lost a lot and could do with some support."

"Rex it's not that simple," Ahsoka tried to reason. "Everything is different now, I can't just run back to him and forgive everything because I don't. I can't lie to myself about that. I'm furious with him for what he did, he ignored me when I needed him the most. That doesn't just go away."

"This isn't fair," Rex shook his head. "You're so young and you've had to deal with more pain, death and horror than any grown man ever would."

"That's life Rex," Ahsoka shrugged. "There's nothing fair about it, especially when you're a Jedi. Still..." She waited, afraid if she admitted it out loud something horrible would happen. "I loved it. I helped people, made a difference, it felt right."

"Do you miss it?" Rex asked her.

"Yes," She admitted with a laugh of disbelief. "So, so much but I don't know if I can return."

"I'm sure they would accept you back Commander, they know they made a mistake," Rex reasoned.

"No you don't get it," She sighed not sure how to put it into words. "The council aren't the reason I don't know if I can come back. It's me, I don't trust myself anymore, I wasn't a good enough Jedi for them to believe me or feel I was worth standing up for. Clearly I'm just a liability."

"You know that's not true," Rex looked hurt that she would even say such a thing about herself. "You helped lead a war effort at fourteen and you did it with incredible strength."

"What if that's not enough?" Ahsoka asked herself. "Sure I'm a good Commander but what am I as a Jedi? As a peacekeeper will I just fail? Maybe they knew I wouldn't make a good Jedi and that's why they didn't fight to keep me in the Order."

Rex didn't know what to tell her, he knew that what she was saying wasn't true but he didn't know how to get her to believe what he knew.

"I don't know," Ahsoka said defeatedly. "I'll have to think about it."

They continued to walk, now in silence, down the halls of the Temple until they reached the hanger where many of the ships were kept. Ahsoka turned to Rex with a smile.

"I guess this is where I leave you for now," She smiled. "I have a few people I need to catch up with anyway."

The two looked at each other for a moment. Ahsoka moved quickly to wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. Rex was taken aback at first but realising what she also knew at that moment, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back.

"I missed you," She said it as if trying to hold back a voice crack.

"The feeling was mutual Commander," Rex smiled as they pulled away from the hug.

Ahsoka grinned at him. He noticed her eyes were glassier than normal but he didn't want to call attention to it.

"You'd better get going," She smiled.

"I'll see you soon Commander," He smiled.

"Ahsoka," She corrected him. "And I really hope that's true."

"Goodbye Command- Ahsoka," Rex saluted her.

"Bye Rex," Ahsoka returned his salute with a bright smile.

Rex nodded before turning towards the transport. He stepped inside where other troopers stood around. He was heading back home which was a nice thought but the reason why sickened him. When he learned of the chips implanted in the clones brains he was horrified, they all were. The idea that they could be made turn on the people the had come to respect and care for made his stomach turn. He knew they needed to get rid of them as quickly and as inconspicuously as possible. All the clones were to return to Kamino and have their chips removed before coming back to the Temple. Rex couldn't wait to get it out of his head so he could try and get some of the guilt to leave him. As it stood he had trouble looking some of the Jedi in the eyes. He would never want to hurt them but from what he'd heard, this chip would override all reason in his brain.

Ahsoka watched the shuttle take off with a bittersweet smile on her face. She knew she wouldn't be here when he got back, she would return to Mandalore like she had promised Bo-Katan. The real mystery came in whether or not she would return to the Temple when her work on Mandalore was finished. That was something she was still unsure of.

Ahsoka turned away from the hanger and decided to track down a Jedi she hadn't spoken to in some time. She was walking all over the Temple in search of him and she was about to give up when she found him meditating in the room of a thousand fountains. She felt slightly scared about the prospect of approaching him. She didn't know what she was to say. Luckily for her she didn't have to think, he did for her.

"Little 'Soka," He said happily.

"Master Plo," She smiled to him, moving towards him. "I'm sorry to interrupt your meditations."

"Nonsense," He laughed. "Please join me, you clearly have something on your mind."

Ahsoka had almost forgotten what it was like to be around a Jedi, to have someone so aware of you and everything that you are feeling. It was strangely comforting to her to be read like that. She moved to sit across from Plo Koon.

"What is it that is bothering you Ahsoka? Apart from the obvious," She wasn't sure but she was almost certain he smiled as he said it.

"I'm conflicted and worried and a billion other contradictory feelings," She was tempted to laugh at herself.

"What are you worried about?" He asked her.

"It's more like who," She began to pinch the skin of her forearm again. "It's Master Kenobi, he doesn't deal with things like he should. Yesterday after he visited Anakin and Padmé at the hospital he went to confront Maul. I knew it wouldn't end well. I should have stopped him but I was too angry at him, I still am," She shook her head when she realised she was getting off track. "You haven't seen him have you Master Plo?"

"Why? Do you wish to speak with him?" The older Jedi asked.

"No!" Ahsoka answered quicker than intended. "I just want to know how he has been handling everything."

"Well as a matter of fact I did see him," Plo explained. "I also happened to be present during his... meeting with Maul."

"What?" Ahsoka almost screeched. "You were there? Why? What happened? What did Maul say? Did he mention the Duchess? I knew he would. How did Obi-Wan react? Is he okay?"

"Ahsoka calm down," Plo reached over to pry her hand off her arm. "Be careful you might hurt yourself."

Ahsoka nodded and rubbed over the sore skin. She took a few breaths before speaking again, trying to remain calm like Plo had suggested.

"How did it go?" Was the question she finally settled on.

"Not good," He hated to see her frown but he didn't want to lie to her. "Maul did bring up the Duchess just like you said. Obi-Wan tried his best not to give a reaction but the wound was just too fresh."

"Anakin was right," She shrugged. "He doesn't know how to handle the pain he's feeling. He's lived with a code that forbids him from feeling anything, it's failed him greatly and now he doesn't know what to do."

She wanted to cry. _It's not fair,_ she wanted to cry. She knew it was hypocritical to be thinking that after having explained the unfairness of life to Rex not long ago. Still, she couldn't stop herself from thinking. She'd met Satine before and she had to admit, she could see Obi-Wan's reasons for falling for her. She was kind, tenacious, brave and selfless, a great leader. The thought that her life came to an end in such an awful way and over such a heartbreaking topic made Ahsoka want to scream at the unfairness in the world.

"That will be Obi-Wan's challenge to overcome for some time," Plo explained. "He will need a good support system to get him through it."

"That's what Rex suggested," Ahsoka told him.

"Wise man," Plo laughed.

Ahsoka laughed with Plo for a moment. Nostalgia hit her again when she realised how much she missed this.

"So what have you been getting up to on your time away?" Plo asked.

The way he had phrased it made Ahsoka smile internally. He made it seem like he knew for certain she would be returning, she wondering if that's what he truly believed. It made her heart feel a little brighter to know that she was missed. She already knew before this thanks to the clones and Anakin, it was a shame Obi-Wan wasn't more- she cursed herself in her head again.

"Well, after I left I didn't know where to go. I got a transport to a few Outer Rim planets and explored what life outside of the war was like. It was really nice, I got to help people who really needed it." She smiled when she remembered a little girl who had never met a Togruta before. She was entranced by Ahsoka's headtails. "Then when I was helping this one little boy find his family after they had been separated due to the war, I ended up on Onderon. I ran into Lux, Senator Bonteri, and he helped me find the boys family. After that I stayed on Onderon, helping out. That's how I met Bo-Katan. Korkie Kryze, Bo-Katan's nephew had been friends with Lux since they were little. She needed my help to get Maul off their planet. I had no idea she was Satine's sister until then but once I heard that I swore to help. I'm going to be returning to Mandalore tomorrow to help her, Korkie and Lux with the damage."

"It sounds like you had quite the adventure," Plo commented. "You've grown up so much since we first met Ahsoka. And I hope that after you're finished restoring Mandalore that you will find where it is in the galaxy that you will call home."

He didn't say it but she knew he felt it. He wanted her to come back, it seemed everyone did. Still she wasn't sure if she could ever fit back in even though she desperately wanted to.

"Thank you Master Plo," Ahsoka smiled.

She didn't know what to do now when a short silence stretched out. Should she get up and leave him alone or sit here in silence?

"Would you like to meditate with me little 'Soka?" He asked.

Ahsoka felt warmer at the sound of her old nickname. She nodded to Plo, thankful that he had spoken up.

"I would," She then proceeded to close her eyes and let herself relax in a way she hadn't done in so long.

She let the trickling sounds of water fill her brain as she breathed in and out. All her worries seemed to drift away, her concern for Obi-Wan, her anger at Obi-Wan, her concern for Anakin and Rex, everything. All she was left with was a peaceful feeling in her mind and it felt good.

She'd missed this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed. Next chapter is the final one before shit hits the fan.  
> I'm gonna skip over a lot of the code changing stuff, I don't know how to write it well and I want to avoid the cringe. A little lazy, I apologise but I want to get to the main plot.  
> Anyway please comment, I love reading them, enjoy :)


	7. Goodbye's and Hello's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka leaves for Mandalore while Anakin checks in on Obi-Wan. Anakin receives a surprise urgent holocall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like it. Next chapter shit will hit the fan, I promise you that.

Anakin was breathing heavily as he ran through the halls of the Temple towards hanger four. He slowed for a moment as his brain double checked to make sure he was going to the right place. A small beeping in front of him made him speed up with a scowl.

"I don't have wheels Artoo, you're at an advantage," Anakin argued.

Another beeping noise came from the small astromech.

"Yeah well you stay up all night with newborns. It's not easy to wake up when you've finally gotten asleep," Anakin turned a corner before continuing. "It's not my fault."

Artoo beeped again, spinning around before moving even faster than before.

"That was a low blow," Anakin mumbled but sped up regardless. "At least I have a wife," Anakin added, sticking out his tongue like a petulant child.

Artoo beeped at Anakin who responded by placing his hand over his heart in feigned hurt.

"I am not having this argument with you right now Artoo," Anakin turned his attention away from the droid. "Let's just hope she hasn't left yet."

He continued to run towards the hanger, cursing the design of the Temple. He didn't understand why it had to be so big with so many twists, turns and long hallways. It just seemed like a nuisance to him. He turned one last corner and ran straight into the hanger, almost knocking over a group of younglings. Amid hurried apologies he spotted her making her way up the boarding ramp. He took off quickly towards her.

"Ahsoka!" He shouted, trying to grab her attention before she left.

She didn't appear to hear him as she continued up the ramp. He pushed his legs harder and almost fell over himself.

"Snips!" He called out hoping to grab her attention. "Ahsoka!"

She stopped and turned around with a smirk on her lips and her hands on her hips. Anakin stopped in front of her trying to catch his breath.

"You heard me the first time didn't you?" He asked over laboured breaths.

"Yup," Ahsoka said in a sing-songy tone.

Anakin scowled but he should have known. It didn't occur to him while he was chasing her that she had fantastic hearing, being a Togrutan. He shook his head as his breathing returned to him.

"Sorry I'm so late," He laughed. "I slept in, still getting used to the baby sleep schedule."

"Don't worry about it," Ahsoka smiled. "Even if you missed me, I'm sure I would be back soon."

Anakin heard the unease in her words. Neither of them knew if that was true, would she return any time soon? Anakin hoped that would be the case, he didn't want to watch her leave again, it hurt too much the first time.

"Would you?" Anakin's face took on a youthful innocence. "Even if you don't return to the Order, will you still visit?"

Ahsoka nodded. "Of course I will," She shrugged. "I wouldn't want your kids to miss out on knowing their Auntie Ahsoka."

"That would be awful," Anakin smiled. "Because she's pretty great."

Ahsoka looked down, glad that her skin tone made it difficult to tell when she was blushing.

"They've got a pretty big family already," He laughed. "Padmé's family, Uncle Rex, Uncle Bail, Uncle Obi-Wan."

"They could use an Aunt in the mix then," She laughed before her face turned neutral. "So speaking of Uncle Obi-Wan, he's not here."

"Yeah," Anakin sighed. "He isn't, he didn't say anything when I asked if he was coming to see you off."

"It's fine," Her voice said otherwise, Anakin noted. "I wouldn't have wanted to see him anyway."

"Really?" Anakin raised his eyebrows. "You seem pretty sad that he's not here."

"I'm not sad!" She snapped. "I'm just... I don't know how to explain it. I miss him yes but I don't want to see him, he hurt me too much. He didn't seem to care at all that I left and if he did he didn't make it known to me. I needed someone to lean on when I was expelled and arrested and he couldn't be there for me. I needed him and he wasn't there, that doesn't just go away Anakin."

"I know you're mad at him but there was so much wrong with that whole investigation and Obi-Wan had a lot on his mind," Anakin explained. "I just wish that you two could get along again."

"Betrayal is a difficult thing to look past," Ahsoka laughed sardonically. "Well maybe not betrayal but still."

"It's just different now," Anakin shrugged. "I miss our little trio."

"Yeah, me too," Ahsoka laughed. "Maybe I can talk to him at some point in the future. Just not now."

"Okay, you need your time," Anakin said placing a hand on Artoo. "I get it."

"But do me a favour," She added. "Keep an eye on him. I spoke with Master Plo yesterday and apparently Maul did bring up a few sore topics just like we feared."

Anakin let a noise somewhere between a sigh an a growl.

"I knew this would happen, I shouldn't have let him go," Anakin ran a hand through his hair. "Maul is just a parasite sucking all the love and happiness from Obi-Wan's life. And it's like he's addicted to that pain because he just keeps coming back for more."

Ahsoka agreed, Obi-Wan did seem to attract that kind of pain into his life be that intentional or not.

"Well at least he can't hurt him anymore," Ahsoka said not knowing how wrong she truly was.

"Thank the gods he's in custody," Anakin said with relief. "The last thing Obi-Wan needs is to be tracking him down for the next few years in search of revenge."

Ahsoka laughed a little at that. She couldn't picture Obi-Wan looking for revenge no matter how wronged he had been and in regards to Maul he had been wronged many _many_ times in the most horrible ways.

"Obi-Wan? Revenge?" She asked Anakin. "Somehow I highly doubt that."

"Yeha I guess you're right," Anakin laughed. "He's not exactly the revenge type."

Ahsoka wasn't sure when the thought waved into her mind but once it did she knew she needed to ask Anakin and get answers. She was just partly terrified as to what those answers might be.

"I do have one more question," She began.

Anakin widened his eyes to show that he was listening to her. He wasn't sure what she was going to ask about but he could feel her nerves through the force. Whatever it was it was clearly making her feel uneasy.

"Do you know what happened at the council meeting, the one they had before they expelled me?" She had begun to pinch at the skin on her arm yet again.

"No, I don't," Anakin answered slowly. "I'm sorry Ahsoka but I have no idea, Obi-Wan refused to speak of it afterwards."

"Maybe that's the guilt talking," She mumbled coldly.

"Huh?" Anakin asked.

"Well doesn't it all seem a little coincidental to you?" Ahsoka asked him. "Maybe he felt guilty because he knew like they all did that I didn't do it. Maybe he wishes that he spoke up instead of hanging me out to dry."

"Ahsoka I'm sure he didn't do that," Anakin reasoned. "Obi-Wan would always try to help you, however he could."

"Not if it meant disagreeing with the council."

Anakin didn't know what to say, she was right after all. Obi-Wan very rarely went against the council and when he did, things didn't turn out very well in his favour.

"Look, I don't want to fight about this before you leave," Anakin said, wanting to avoid the topic altogether. "Neither of us know what happened so let's not think about it."

"Okay," Ahsoka nodded. "On that note I probably should get going if I'm going to make it to Mandalore in time."

Anakin moved forward and hugged her a bit tighter than intended. She didn't seem to mind as she hugged him back with a similar force.

"I'm going to miss you Ahsoka," He told her. "Please promise to visit soon. I don't like not having you around."

"I remember a time when you didn't even want a padawan," She laughed as they pulled away with tears in both their eyes.

"What can I say Snips, you've grown on me," Anakin grinned, the movement crinkling the corners of his eyes and pushing a tear from each side.

Ahsoka smiled and turned, walking up the ramp. Once it closed behind her she let her tears roll down them. Being back was much harder than she expected especially when she knew how much she was missed.

Anakin watched as the ship lifted off the ground and headed for the Coruscant traffic with a bittersweet smile. He was so proud of Ahsoka for everything she'd accomplished but more than that he was proud of the woman she'd become. He remembered the young teenager he'd met at the beginning of the war. It was hard to believe that it was only three years ago that they had first met. He couldn't quite imagine a time when Ahsoka wasn't in his life and even if he could he knew he wouldn't want to.

* * * * *

Anakin hopped out of the speeder and looked up at the large sign above the door before entering the building. The loud cheering of the clones filled his ears as he pushed through the crowd in search of Obi-Wan. He couldn't see very well in the dimly lit, crowded room but he reasoned that it would be quite simple to find the one Jedi among many clones. Sure enough, he spotted the auburn haired Jedi moments later, sitting at the bar.

Anakin pulled out he stool beside Obi-Wan and sat down. He noticed that Obi-Wan was nursing a glass of whisky with a blank stare at the wall behind the bar in front of him.

"How was she?" Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin shrugged. "She'd be better if you had gone to see her off."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan began, lifting his gaze from the bar and shifting his body to face Anakin. "She didn't want to see me. I didn't want to spoil your goodbye with my unwanted presence."

Anakin wanted to argue but he knew his old master was as stubborn as himself. He opted for a quiet huff before ordering a drink of his own. He took a sip of the Correlian whisky that he had seen Obi-Wan drinking and winced.

"This stuff is pretty strong," He commented.

"If you're here to lecture me about my alcohol intake Anakin then I suggest you just leave," He responded coldly.

"Your alcohol intake doesn't worry me," Anakin replied, knowing that Obi-Wan rarely ever drank. "Your refusal to talk about Ahsoka is what bothers me."

"I will talk about Ahsoka all you want but the fact remains, she doesn't want to see me."

Anakin took another burning sip of the whisky while he debated bringing up his earlier conversation with Ahsoka.

"She thinks you just let the council expel her without putting up a fight," Anakin paused before continuing. "Is that true?"

He had been afraid to even consider it when Ahsoka brought it up. He understood why she thought he would do that, Obi-Wan very rarely stood up to the council and to Anakin it seemed like a rational fear. He desperately wanted it to be untrue but he had to be sure.

Obi-Wan froze momentarily, his glass stopping half way on it's way to his mouth before he placed it on the bar, almost in slow motion.

"She really believes that I did that?" Obi-Wan asked in disbelief, slowly turning his head to face Anakin.

"Well did you?" Anakin asked cautiously.

"No," Obi-Wan answered. "Do you really think I would let them kick her out without putting up a fight?"

"No, I didn't think you would but I had to be sure," Anakin explained. "She had a fair argument for why she thought that. You completely ignored her when she was arrested. You cut her out and she assumed it was out of guilt for staying silent. If that wasn't the case then why did you avoid her?"

"Because I'm ashamed Anakin," Obi-Wan snapped. "I failed her, it's all I can ever seem to do. How could I look her in the eyes after I couldn't protect her and keep her safe? Every time I try to help someone I end up loosing them forever, Qui-Gon, Satine and now Ahsoka. She deserves better than the pathetic life form that Qui-Gon picked up from the Agricorps one day."

Anakin watched him with a sick feeling inside him. He wanted so desperately to help Obi-Wan, to cast away his pain and help him to smile again but he knew he just couldn't. Anakin was utterly helpless and he couldn't stand it.

"Obi-Wan you didn't fail anyone," Anakin argued but he knew it was hopeless, Obi-Wan would never believe him. "None of what happened was your fault."

"Yes it was," Obi-Wan argued. "It's just like Maul said, it's all my fault."

Anakin narrowed his eyes, trying to connect the dots before the realisation fell upon him. His visit to the prison.

"What did he mean by that?" Anakin asked carefully, he didn't want Obi-Wan to clam back up and not tell him the story.

"I went to visit him, you were right, I shouldn't have gone, it was a horrible mistake," Anakin bit back the urge to whisper an 'I told you so' knowing it wouldn't be very helpful. "He told me it was my fault and he was right, I'm the reason he went after her. He was trying to hurt me and used her as a pawn in his sick and twisted game of revenge. He told me she hated me."

"She definitely felt a lot of things towards you Obi-Wan but hate was not one of them," Anakin told him.

"It should be," Obi-Wan muttered to himself, loud enough for Anakin to hear.

"Obi-Wan stop, she didn't hate you," Anakin tried to argue.

"Enough Anakin!" Obi-Wan spoke loudly before lowering his voice. "I am not looking for pity here. I don't want you to tell me how much she loved me or how none of it was my fault. I don't want to hear any of it. I know she loved me and I know that I ruined that love by leaving her. Perhaps he just said it to get under my skin but if she truly did hate me as much as she loved me, I am certain that I earned it."

Anakin remained silent. Anything comforting he wanted to say would only do to anger Obi-Wan. He didn't want to feel better right now and that was something Anakin could understand to a small extent.

"He said I drove her to hate herself, hate the love she still held for me," Obi-Wan leaned his elbows on the bar and let his hands support his head. "I was such a fool, such an idiot."

Anakin hoped that this was the alcohol talking and that tomorrow Obi-Wan would be feeling better. Another thought occurred to him and he wondered if this is how he always felt. Was this the constant state of pain and guilt that Obi-Wan lived in? Anakin knew he would hide his true feelings from himself and Ahsoka for fear of burdening them with his problems but he never thought it could get this bad.

"How does he know all this?" Anakin found himself asking.

"I have no idea," Obi-Wan shrugged. "I suppose that fact alone should be enough to make me believe he was only making this up but when he said it... it all felt so real. It was like she was standing there, saying it herself."

Anakin couldn't understand what Obi-Wan meant by this. He glanced down at his whisky and wondered how many Obi-Wan drank before he arrived. He wanted to have this conversation with him but Obi-Wan wasn't making any sense. He downed the end of his own whisky and stood from his stood, dropping a few credits on the bar as he did so.

"I don't know what to tell you Obi-Wan," Anakin admitted. "I want to help you but I don't know how or if that's even possible. I think that maybe we should head back to the Temple and if you still want to talk we can finish our conversation in the morning."

Obi-Wan looked at him with glassy eyes of a broken man who wasn't at all present in the moment. He nodded and dropped a few credits on the bar before followed Anakin in the direction of the door.

Anakin had a feeling when he left that he wouldn't hear the end of the story the next day. He was okay with that, he knew Obi-Wan wasn't ready to talk about it. He refused to take advantage of his friends drunken state in order to get information. Anakin would wait until Obi-Wan was ready to talk about it while sober.

* * * * *

Anakin was sitting on the couch of Padmé's apartment with Leia in his arms. He was engaged in a rousing game of peekaboo that she seemed to be enjoying. Padmé had to bring Luke to see a medic since he had contracted a fever the night before so they were all alone in her apartment.

It had been almost four weeks since that night at 79's and just like Anakin had suspected, Obi-Wan had swept everything under the rug, choosing to ignore everything and forget it had even happened. He had instead thrown himself into researching the code and all the rules involved in being a Jedi so he could present a good case at the council meetings.

Anakin himself attended many of these meetings when he wasn't taking care of his children. It was a strange change, one that he wasn't yet used to. He was a father and he no longer had to hide that or his marriage. He had hoped to see this day but whenever he imagined it, it went hand in hand with leaving the order. He always knew that if he had to choose he would leave for Padmé and his children in a heartbeat. He was just glad that he no longer had to leave the life and job he loved in order to be a father and openly love his wife.

Anakin stood from the couch with Leia in his arms and grabbed a bottle from the kitchen before sitting back down on the couch. He watched Leia happily drink her milk, enjoying the peaceful moment with his daughter.

It was then in his moment of quiet that his comm went off. He silently debated answering it or not before he begrudgingly grabbed it.

"Anakin!" The blue flicker of Ahsoka appeared.

"Ahsoka!" Anakin brightened immediately. "It's so great to hear from you, how are things on Mandalore?"

"Good, really good," She responded. "How are things on Coruscant? How are my little niece and nephew?"

Anakin looked down at Leia. "Thing's are much calmer," He looked back up at her. "But they miss their Aunt."

Ahsoka shrugged. "I would too if I were them, she's pretty awesome."

Anakin let out a small laugh in the form of an exhale.

"So did you have any other reasons for calling besides checking in with your adorable niece and nephew?" Anakin asked.

That was when Ahsoka's face changed. The carefree happiness melted away and was replaced with the hardened focus of a Commander. She didn't respond to him and instead averted her gaze as a way of avoiding the question entirely, almost afraid to continue.

"Yes actually," Ahsoka said hesitantly.

Anakin narrowed his eyes at her. There was something in the way she spoke that made him concerned. She seemed like she had something else she wanted to say but she just wasn't sure how to say it.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I need to meet with the council."

Anakin wasn't entirely sure what that meant and couldn't think of an eloquent way of putting the question.

"What?" He raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Minus Obi-Wan," She clarified.

"No Ahsoka I've had enough of you two over the past few weeks," Anakin shook his head. "You can't keep going on like this, it's not fair to anyone, you need to just talk."

"That's not why," Ahsoka brought up a hand to her forehead in frustration. "Look there is so much to explain but I need to do it in person. Obi-Wan can't be involved just yet, that's not my decision but that's just how it is."

"What are you talking about?" Anakin asked. "I'm seriously confused now Snips."

"Yeah well that makes both of us," Ahsoka assured him. "It's really important, can you just make sure that the council is ready to meet us tomorrow morning?"

"Us?" Anakin said. "Who is us?"

"That explanation will have to wait until tomorrow," She explained. "I'm sorry that I can't explain more but I can't, not right now anyway. I'll explain everything tomorrow, I promise. I just need you to promise not to breath a word of this to Obi-Wan."

Anakin paused. Should he promise that? He didn't even know what the meeting he was arranging was about. He thought back to what Ahsoka said about not trusting herself. If he couldn't trust her with this, how was she ever supposed to trust herself? He decided to have faith that whatever she was doing was the right thing to do.

"Okay, I promise," Anakin told her. "I'll have the council ready tomorrow morning, minus Obi-Wan."

"Not in the council chambers, that's too public, the hallways are too commonly used," Ahsoka murmured.

"Why does it need to be in a secluded space?" Anakin wondered.

Ahsoka opened her mouth to explain but Anakin beat her too it.

"Let me guess, you'll explain tomorrow?" He asked.

Ahsoka smiled momentarily at how well he understood her and nodded in confirmation.

"How about the communication room?" Anakin offered. "The halls aren't very crowded ever and it's the perfect place to hold secret meetings."

"Sounds perfect," Ahsoka nodded. "Thank you for being so understanding about this."

"No problem Snips," Anakin smiled. "I trust you."

Ahsoka's flickering blue features softened. She smiled almost sadly and glanced away at something Anakin couldn't see. Her face turned serious as she nodded at someone standing by her. She looked back at Anakin.

"I should go," She told him. "Thank you."

Before Anakin could respond the transmission was cut and he was left standing there with a confused look and a baby in his arms.

* * * * *

Later that day, after Padmé had returned from the hospital with Luke, Anakin went to the Temple in search of Mace Windu. He thought that might be a good place to start if he were to arrange this meeting like Ahsoka had asked. Luckily for him he found the Jedi master with minimal effort.

"Master Windu!" Anakin hurried towards him hesitantly. He still wasn't sure how his marriage would be perceived by the Jedi since it had only been a little over a month.

"Skywalker," Mace acknowledged him. "How are your wife and children keeping?"

Mace was a Jedi master, member of the council and former Grandmaster, he was responsible and above petty disputes. Still, seeing Anakin squirm over his question gave him a victorious rush. A small punishment for his deceptive ways.

"They're good," A blush was creeping its way up Anakin's neck. "Padmé had to take Luke to see a medic earlier, he had a fever last night," He rambled uncomfortably. "I don't think that's a question I will ever get used to though."

"No, I suspect not," Mace smirked with his eyes and his eyes alone. "Now what is it that you came looking for?"

Anakin jumped to attention, remembering his purpose.

"Right," His face visibly conveyed the confusion he was feeling about how to properly phrase his question. "I need to set up a meeting with the council, bar Obi-Wan."

Mace looked at him, perplexed. Of all the people not to include at a meeting, Mace had thought Obi-Wan to be at the bottom of Anakin's list.

"I'm going to need you to elaborate," Mace told him with a stern squint of his eyes.

"I'm afraid I can't Master," Anakin explained. "I don't know much else. Ahsoka called me earlier and requested that I arrange a meeting with the council in the communications room, every minus Obi-Wan. She was very specific about it, she said she could explain it all in person tomorrow."

"And this meeting would include the entire council?"

"Everyone but Obi-Wan," Anakin searched his brain for why that might be the case but the task proved futile. He would just have to wait until Ahsoka explained herself the next day. "She said it was urgent."

Mace watched him, weighing his options, should he trust him? The night in the Chancellors office stuck in his brain, Anakin had earned his trust that night and this was the first time Mace had the chance to put that trust into action.

"Alright," Mace nodded. "I will inform the rest of the council and we will be as discreet about this as possible."

Anakin was surprised to say the least, he had expected much more convincing needing to be done on his part.

"Thank you," Anakin bowed as a show of respect, something he'd often struggled with presenting.

Mace noticed this and almost smiled when he turned away. He was right, Anakin had matured a great deal in a very short amount of time.

* * * * *

Obi-Wan returned to the Temple after he finished his breakfast at Dex's. He was disappointed that Anakin was unable to join him but he understood that he wouldn't have as much time now that he was a father.

Obi-Wan decided to speak with Mace instead, a man whom he had spent a lot of his time with in the past weeks. He was seeing a new side of the older Jedi, one that he hadn't seen before but was beginning to suspect had always been there.

Obi-Wan's face contorted in confusion while he searched the Temple, he couldn't find the man anywhere. He had thought it best to perhaps seek out some other council members as they might know his whereabouts but they were also nowhere to be found. Mace, Yoda, Plo, Shaak, Ki-Adi, Kit, he looked for them all and came up short. He started to become suspicious of the fact that the halls were completely devoid of every member of the council.

A small group of younglings were playing by the window and Obi-Wan decided to approach them. The girl who appeared to be the eldest bowed in respect.

"Master Kenobi," She said as she lifted her head back up to meet his eyes.

"What's your name little one?" He asked her with a warm smile.

"Katooni," She responded.

"Well Initiate Katooni," Obi-Wan thought her name sounded familiar but shrugged it off. "Have you seen where any of the council members have gone off to?"

Katooni squinted her eyes in thought when she remembered what she had seen earlier.

"I saw Master Mundi go into the communications room not long ago," She told him. "I think he is still in there."

"Thank you," Obi-Wan nodded to the children before heading towards the communications room.

He arrived just outside the communications room and noticed that the door was locked. As a member of the council Obi-Wan had the codes to override such things. He moved to the keypad and punched in the numbers waiting for the click.

The door hissed open and Obi-Wan stepped inside before it shut behind him. He looked around the room to find all eyes on him. Every member of the council was in the room including Anakin.

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked. "What's going on here, I thought you were with Padmé?"

Anakin stood very still with panic clearly displayed on his face.

Obi-Wan looked around the room again, the dim lights making it harder for him to see. That's when he noticed the Togruta standing in the middle of the room with a look of pity.

"Ahsoka?" He spotted Yoda and Mace and looked at them questionably. "Why is no one answering me?"

Thats when he noticed a cloaked figure beside Ahsoka, their back was turned to him so he couldn't see their face but something about them felt so familiar to him.

The figure turned around to face him, their hood dropping on the way and Obi-Wan felt the air leave his lungs when his eyes found their face.

"Satine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope that was good, next chapter will show the long awaited reunion, I'm really dragging this out and for that I'm sorry. Don't worry, Maul will be back for vengeance, in fact I will probably upload the next two chapters together next Sunday as a bit of a holiday gift. Who knows, we'll see.
> 
> Also I want to know who you think Rex should be with (not Ahsoka they seem more like siblings to me and he's basically a grown men while she's 17. And no clones they are brothers and like I already said, I've had enough with the casual incest in the Star Wars universe) 
> 
> Anyway I hope you enjoyed it, don't forget to comment :)


	8. Death Is Finite... Until It Isn't

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Satine returns, Obi-Wan feels betrayed, Ahsoka tells a story and Maul reveals his plans (and acts like a huge dick)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Satine returns *gasp* who could have seen this coming?! Answer: anyone who read the last chapter or the tags. Hope you like it, I decided to combine the next two chapters since they kind of go hand in hand and I didn't want you to have to wait another week just for an interrogation.

A lot can go through your head in a matter of seconds. What seems like hours to you can only be two seconds in reality. The few moments before Obi-Wan uttered her name felt like days to him, years even.

There she was, standing before him. Her blonde hair cascading down her shoulders, her piercing blue eyes, challenging as always, thin pink lips he begged to kiss, her small frame, delicate and graceful, every bit as beautiful since the day he met her.

He didn't even realise that it was she who they would be protecting when they first met. He had thought her awfully young and frankly incapable of leading her people, it was what started their terrible first impression. He was unintentionally rude when they had met and Satine Kryze knew exactly how to hold it against him.

Now she was here, looking at him with pained eyes, glassy and tired. There were a few differences in her appearance he had to note, her exhaustion was clear although she hid it well beneath her regal facade. Her eyes told the tale of a sad, broken woman who was minutes away from collapsing.

Obi-Wan had so many questions, how did she get here? What was happening? How was she even alive? Was this all just a dream? Was it some torturous nightmare that would only be ripped away when he awoke? He didn't want to think of all his questions just yet. All he wanted was to look at her and let this moment last.

"Satine."

She looked at him with tears in her eyes although they never fell.

"Obi-Wan," She spoke quietly with blank state.

Obi-Wan moved across the room before any of them could say anything. He needed to do something before he spoke anything else to her, before this perfect moment shattered before his very eyes. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to his chest and holding her there with splayed hands on her back. He nestled his head down in the crook of her neck and held her close with his eyes shut tightly, relishing in this moment. It all felt exactly the same, the smell of her hair the feeling of her body against his, the sound of her breath and the feeling of her heart beating.

Satine was surprised by his actions. Here he was surrounded by the Jedi council and the first thing he chooses to do is hug her. She pushed aside all the confusion in her brain and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him to her, letting one hand run through his hair in a soothing motion.

Obi-Wan's heart almost stopped when he felt her hand in his hair. It brought him right back to his padawan years, to the year he spent with her. He tried to contain it but a quiet sob escaped his mouth, opening the vault of his emotions. He knew his tears would be visible on her clothing when he pulled away and could not bring himself to care even the slightest bit.

Ahsoka watched in silence as did the rest of the room while Obi-Wan and Satine simply held each other. Every few seconds an almost silent cry would break through but it was nearly impossible to hear. All her animosity towards Obi-Wan had felt insignificant ever since she had learned of the Duchess. All she wanted now was to help him but wasn't sure how.

Obi-Wan lifted his head from her shoulder to show his reddened eyes to Satine. She moved her hands from around his neck to fall against his chest. Her tears had still not fallen and she was making a conscious effort to bite them back. Despite her efforts one fell forward, slowly rolling down her cheek. Obi-Wan reached up a hand up to wipe it away with his thumb, letting his hand cradle the side of her face.

"How?" He asked her quietly. "How is this possible, you, you died."

Satine watched him with a growing lump in her chest. She didn't know how to explain anything that's been going on or if there even was an explanation.

"I don't know," She told him. "That's why I came here."

Obi-Wan let his hand drop from her face and wrapped it back around her waist pulling her back into his embrace. He buried his head back down on her shoulder, heaving heavy breaths. He never wanted to let go of her again if that was at all possible. He sniffled quietly although the room was so quiet, he was sure everyone had heard.

Satine held him close to herself, trying her best to ignore the stares of all the Jedi in the room. She didn't know how to comfort Obi-Wan other than to hug him back.

It was odd to all the Jedi in the room how something as simple as a hug could seem so significantly special and intimate. They all felt as if they were intruding on something by watching but yet they couldn't tear their eyes away. It was so pure and sad but somehow hopeful, the force was a frenzy around the two but in the eye of the storm, where they stood, there was peace. Just a moment of peace, one that couldn't last and one that they all knew would end in only a few short moments. Still, they could at least give them these few uninterrupted seconds before their little bubble of tranquility was popped.

Obi-Wan wanted to pull back from the hug and kiss her like he never had before, without any reserve, no holds barred, he almost didn't care if everyone in that room were to see. Somewhere deep down he just couldn't bring himself to do it, he couldn't pull away from her again, he knew the second he would he would have to search for answers.

Satine heard another stifled sob escape Obi-Wan and felt her own tears fall over her eyelids.

"It's okay," She whispered into his ear although she didn't know if that were so, she just wanted to bring him some form of comfort. "I'm here."

Obi-Wan pulled her in tighter, too scared to pull away and look at the faces of the Jedi around him. An embarrassment that he didn't have the sense to consider before rushing to Satine, slapped him across the face. How could he look at them now after this? He had openly cried in front of them while clutching a woman to his chest. He knew he was no longer in danger of expulsion but the lifelong fear that had been instilled upon him remained very much intact.

Obi-Wan finally pulled away from Satine to look at her face, she looked exactly the same.

Satine saw the redness in his eyes and her own followed the wet trail where his tears disappeared into his auburn beard. She reached her hand up to rest on his cheek. Obi-Wan immediately moved into her touch, reminding himself of the wretched day. He grasped her hand in his own and with great care, he brought it away from his face to hold.

"What happened?" He asked her after clearing his throat to cover up how ridiculous he was currently feeling.

"That's what we were trying to figure out," Satine explained. "We had only just said hello before you came in."

Obi-Wan didn't even know where to start, with his millions of questions he didn't know what to ask first.

"Ahsoka found me," Satine explained moving out of Obi-Wan's grasp to address the rest of the Jedi. "I don't understand it as well as she does, she said there was something dark in the force."

"It was different than the darkness we felt around Maul or Dooku," Ahsoka jumped to explain. "It reaked of death but life was trapped in the middle."

"Go on," Mace nodded to her. "Tell us exactly what happened before you found the Duchess."

"Alright," Ahsoka wrapped her arms across her chest and began to pinch at the orange skin of her forearm. "It was almost two weeks ago, Bo-Katan, Lux and I were in the palace..."

* * * * * 

_Ahsoka and Lux followed Bo-Katan down the hall towards the room where Maul stayed. It was in a completely separate wing of the palace than Satine had slept._

_"With Maul gone many questions are left unanswered," Bo-Katan explained. "We are hoping his quarters will help provide us with some of those answers."_

_Lux narrowed his eyes at her. "Why do you need our help with this? He wasn't here that long, he can't have too many belongings."_

_"Well we don't actually know what is his and what isn't," Bo-Katan explained. "When Satine finally became Duchess, after the Jedi left, she locked up this wing of the palace with everything still inside."_

_"Why would she lock it up?" Ahsoka asked her, feeling Bo-Katan's tension in the force._

_"Let's just say that this wing was the place of many bad memories for Satine, it was better for her to just pretend that none of it ever happened. I don't blame her," Bo-Katan shook the memory away. "The point is we don't know what was in there before Maul's arrival. Perhaps you can use your Jedi magic to make the picture clearer."_

_"It's not magic," Ahsoka murmured as they reached the door although she knew that Bo-Katan cared very little about the logistics of the force._

_Bo-Katan pushed the large door open with a creak and the three stepped inside. Lux looked around in pure wonderment. The room was filled with books, trinkets, furniture, everything in between. It was all covered in a thick layer of dust and it looked as though it hadn't been touched in years._

_"Are you sure this is where Maul stayed?" Lux asked her with a tilt of his head. "It looks pretty desolate if you ask me."_

_"Well I wasn't asking you," Bo-Katan commented. "And yes we're certain."_

_"Well in that case, whoever lived here beforehand must have been some hoarder," Lux picked up an old book and blew the dust off it. He coughed when it collected in the air and used his hand to fan it away._

_"My parents," Bo-Katan picked up a frame that showed their family, it was covered in dust and had a large crack running through it but she smiled regardless._

_"Your parents?" Lux questioned. "Why would Satine want to lock that memory away?"_

_"It was... complicated," Bo-Katan explained. "It always was between them."_

_Lux was about to say something more when a thought occurred to him._

_"Where's Ahsoka?" He looked around the room to find her staring at at tall bookcase. "Ahsoka?"_

_She didn't answer them. Bo-Katan and Lux exchanged a glance that ended in a shrug before approaching her._

_"Ahsoka?" Bo-Katan asked._

_"There's something here," She told them. "There's something behind this wall."_

_"What do you-" Lux began but stopped when she raised her hand and closed her eyes._

_She searched the force for answers as to what the strong disturbance was about. She felt a darkness, a pain, something she had felt before but couldn't remember when. Memories of her fight with Maul fluttered in her brain when finally her mind went dark and her ears picked up a shrill ringing. Her skin started to feel like it was on fire and she opened her eyes with a gasp._

_"Ahsoka!" Lux rushed to her side. "What happened? Are you alright?"_

_"What's behind the wall?" Bo-Katan asked._

_Ahsoka held a hand to her head to try and quiet the shrill ringing that could still be heard. She shook her head and looked up at Lux who was holding either side of her arms._

_"Are you alright?" He asked again, concern growing._

_"I'm okay," Ahsoka assured his with a nod._

_Lux dropped his arms and looked at the bookcase._

_"What's behind it?" He asked._

_"Darkness," She told him. "Almost pure darkness, there's a light in there that is consumed by darkness, being circled by it."_

_She moved her hand to slide the case out of the way. It creaked and scraped against the floor as it moved across the floor. Once it was out of the way, a door was revealed._

_Bo-Katan grabbed her blaster and held it at the ready. Ahsoka grabbed her lightsabers and handed Lux a blaster. The three approached the door with great caution. Bo-Katan kicked it in, letting it slam against the wall on the other side. The three stepped inside the room and their hearts dropped to the floor when they caught side of what was on the other side._

_"Satine!" Bo-Katan breathed, dropping her blaster and moving forwards._

_Satine lay lifeless in a glass coffin. Her hair falling around her head with a slight wave. She wore a long white ethereal dress._ _She looked like she had only stopped breathing moments ago when in reality it had been months._

_Ahsoka brought a hand up to her mouth as she watched Bo-Katan run towards the glass coffin that her sister lay in. She reached out to grasp Lux's hand for comfort as they approached the coffin._

_Bo-Katan bit back tears, placing her hand on the coffin and looking at her sister with guilt. She had wasted so much of their time fighting against her and now she was gone, Maul had taken her away from her. She pressed her head against the glass and closed her eyes._

_"I'm so sorry Satine," She whispered, barely audibly. "For everything."_

_Ahsoka tightened her grip on Lux's hand at the display. She felt compelled to tear up but fought against it. Instead she closed her eyes and focused on the force around herself to keep calm, just like Yoda had taught her. Everything was calm until... a flicker, a beat, a light._

_"Bo-Katan!" She screeched, letting go of Lux and running towards the coffin._

_Bo-Katan turned around to face her with red puffy eyes._

_"What?" She asked, mildly annoyed at the interruption._

_Ahsoka pushed the top of the coffin off to reveal Satine's body. Peaceful and at ease apart from the almost invisible line of panic between her eyebrows. Ahsoka placed her hand on Satine's and let out a gasp._

_"What?" Bo-Katan asked. "What is it?" She placed her own hand on Satine's arm. "She-she's warm."_

_Ahsoka closed her eyes and focused on that small flicker she had felt moments later. She pulled all her energy and strength into gripping onto that light and pulling it from the darkness. It was exhausting and ripped at her mind like a dagger. Ahsoka fell to the floor in a momentary show of weakness. Lux rushed to her side, helping her up._

_"Ahsoka what happened?" He asked her._

_Ahsoka pushed past him and looked at Satine. Still she remained unmoving. Was she wrong? Was she right to doubt her skills as a Jedi? Her connection to the force? Was it all wrong? Was Anakin wrong about her? Was Rex? Was-_

_Satine sat up with a gasp and a panic in her eyes. Her breathing was heavy and her body was shaking._

_Bo-Katan's eyes filled with tears as she lunged at her sister, pulling her into a hug. Satine looked around the room, completely displaced, shaking and hyperventilating._

_Bo-Katan pulled away and gripped her sisters hands in her own._

_"Satine calm down, please breath," Bo-Katan pleaded. "You're okay," She thought it best not to add in the 'I think' that she was currently feeling. "Everything is going to be fine."_

_Satine's breathing evened out at her sisters words and her shaking stilled._

_"Where am I?" She asked. "What happened to me?"_

_All eyes turned to Ahsoka, awaiting an answer._

_"I have no idea."_

* * * * *

Satine felt like she wasn't even in the room when she heard the story, her entire body felt numb. She remembered what had happened soon after, when she realised they were in her parents quarters, a room she hadn't visited in well over a decade, a room that only ever brought her pain.

"And the strangeness didn't stop once Satine woke up," Ahsoka continued to explain. "There are nightmares."

"Nightmares?" Plo asked her. "Similar to the ones a Jedi would experience?"

"No," Ahsoka jumped in. "Not like that."

Satine tried to swallow the lump in the throat, to no avail. She stepped closer to Ahsoka's side, fidgeting with her cloak. The large fabric swallowed her up and made her feel tiny and weak, more than she already felt. There was something comforting to her about the heavy weight that the cloak put of her shoulders, she felt protected from the stares of pitying eyes.

"It's always the same thing," Satine felt her body shake with a shiver, she felt so weak, like she would collapse at any given moment. "I would be trapped in a room with no doors and no windows, no escape. The ground was covered with grass and the walls were covered with large curtains that were on fire."

Mace and Yoda exchanged a look, one of fear among so many other feelings.

"On fire, this room was?" Yoda asked, shuffling forward with the help of his walking stick.

"Yes," Satine explained. "I would be trapped in that room for most of the night. The only time I would be free would be when I'm reliving memories."

"What kind of memories?" Aayla asked her. "Is there any correlation between them, any category that they all fall under?"

"Horrible," Satine said with another attempt to swallow the lump in her throat. "All the death and pain and destruction I had ever seen would come rushing back to me. There were some exceptions, moments I would have treasured beforehand, now just the simple thought of them disgusts me."

"Burns there are," Yoda shook his head.

"How do you know that?" Satine asked him, cradling her arms to her chest.

"What burns?" Obi-Wan asked her, moving to stand beside her, his heart thundering in his chest. He was sure the sound was echoing off the walls at this point, that everyone in the room could hear it.

Satine took her bottom lip between her lip and bit down hard while she rolled her sleeves up. A white bandage was wrapped around her arms and she made quick work of unravelling it to reveal aggressive burn marks running up her forearms.

"Bacta has not been very helpful," Satine explained. "In fact nothing has."

"I can't imagine they would be helpful," Mace told her while he examined the burns. "You didn't receive your burns in this world, they were given to you in your unique state of limbo. A world between life and death."

Ahsoka tilted her head at Mace. Everything he had said rang true to her. When she was there with Satine, she felt the death and life, circling each other, neither fully winning the fight.

"Aayla," Yoda spoke to her. "To Maul you will go. Bring him to us you will."

"Yes master," Aayla nodded before leaving the room in a hurry to retrieve the prisoner.

"Wait you want to bring him here?" Anakin asked with wide eyes.

"If we want answers," Mace pointed out.

Obi-Wan let out a sigh before something finally clicked in his brain. He swun on the people he thought to be his friends with betrayal etched in his heart.

"When did you all plan to tell me this?" Obi-Wan asked them. "I would have been kept completely in the dark if I hadn't sought you all out wouldn't I?"

He was met with silence, nobody dared answer him. He couldn't believe it, the lies they were all willing to put him through, the pain, to let him believe she was truly gone.

"How long were you planning to keep the facade up?" He asked them. "Were you ever planning on telling me?"

"Obi-Wan," Anakin stepped forward, avoiding eye contact. "We only did as we were asked."

"Who asked?" Obi-Wan raised his voice in frustration.

"I did!" Satine turned her death stare him. "So you needn't start yelling at everyone else."

Obi-Wan's anger fizzled away and he started at her in confusion.

"Why would you do that?" Obi-Wan asked her quietly as if he already knew the answer.

"Because I didn't want to see you," She told him, her eyes filling with tears as she said it.

Obi-Wan felt as if the room had frozen, everyone had stopped moving. Those few seconds in which she said the words he had been so afraid of seemed to last forever. He blinked at her, waiting for some words to come to him, to arrange themselves in the perfect sentence that would convey everything that he was feeling, but they didn't. He blinked again and felt time return to it's normal pace. He felt their eyes on him, awaiting his response, he didn't have anything to say to them, nothing smart or eloquent like he normally would.

"Why?" He asked her quietly, barely above a whisper.

Satine bite back the tears that were just begging to fall, begging her to break down into hysterics like she _desperately_ wanted to, _needed_ to.

"I didn't want you to look at me the way you are right now," Satine spoke her words with heartbreak weaving through them.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Obi-Wan asked her with narrowed eyes. He felt a small ball of anger begin to grow in his chest.

"It means that I didn't want to see you and right now I don't owe you any explanation as to why," Satine told him, catching on to the anger in his words.

"I thought you were dead," Obi-Wan's voice inadvertently raised. "I think I'm allowed to ask questions here."

"No you don't," Satine's voice raised to meet the volume of his own. "Here's an answer for you that you might remember, 'I had to Satine, I didn't have a choice, I Chancellors life, it was my duty', isn't that what people generally say when they come back from the dead?"

"Satine-" Obi-Wan began.

"No!" She held her hand up to him. "You pretended to be dead, you lied to everyone and allowed us to mourn you all to save the life of a Sith. Then when you made your miraculous return, you didn't tell me for three months. You let me believe that you were still dead for three months. So no Obi-Wan, I don't care that you want answers because if you weren't willing to give me any, why should I feel charitable now?"

Obi-Wan had felt horrible for that mission ever since it ended, he remembered when he had finally gone to see Satine after those three months. He had been on mission after mission and didn't have the chance to visit. It was face to face news and he knew she deserved a better explanation than the one he had.

He remembered the slap across the face he had received upon his arrival. He remembered the crying, hysterical Duchess that broke down right in front of him. He remembered holding her in her heartbreaking, cradling her shattered form. He remembered the kiss that followed it. The kiss that would become the last they ever shared, the kiss that Satine pulled away from, asking him to leave. The last time he had seen her before her death.

"I-" He was interrupted by the door, creaking open slowly.

He felt it in the force before he even caught a glimpse of Maul's face. He was here.

* * * * * 

Maul sauntered into the room with a look of amusement plastered across his tattooed face. His golden eyes were filled with chaos, and death practically radiated off of him. He grinned at Satine as he entered the room before turning his attentions to Obi-Wan.

"Oh please don't stop on my account," He laughed to himself. "Do finish whatever pathetic excuse of an apology you have come up with in that head of yours."

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes at him, he wondered if he had overheard him when he entered the room.

"I take it I missed the happy reunion so," Maul frowned melodramatically. "Such a shame I would have loved to see Kenobi cry for a third time."

Obi-Wan was seething, he had thought that he was finished with Maul yet here he stood, before him with more questions than ever before

"I'd quiet down if I were you Maul," Ahsoka snarled. "I doubt anyone in this room will have a problem with me chopping off a few more of your limbs if you get too mouthy."

"We're letting the child do the interrogations now are we?" Maul chuckled. "How menacing."

"Don't test me," Ahsoka glared, her fist clenching by her side.

"It's my understanding that it is not the Jedi way to act out of revenge," Maul commented mockingly.

"Well," Ahsoka moved to take a step closer to him. "Luckily for me, I'm no Jedi."

Maul held her gaze for a few moments before looking past her head at the Jedi all around the room. He noticed their slight winces at the young girls words, the regret crossing all of their faces.

"Yes, you aren't," He pointed out. "How did that happen I wonder?"

"None of your damn business," Ahsoka growled back.

Maul paused before a smile slid across his face. "Temple bombing," He made a face as if in thought. "You were framed, betrayed by a friend, a fellow Jedi. They all turned their back on you, hung you out to dry. Left all on your own by a man you trusted, abandoned by Kenobi, not unlike the Duchess and myself. Forgotten, dismissed, unimportant."

Ahsoka took a step back with horror in her eyes. Her eyes darted towards Obi-Wan who looked just as hurt as she did by his words. She tried to catch his eye but his attention was glued to Maul. Ahsoka looked back at the Sith standing before her and tried to swallow the lump in her throat before speaking.

"Who told you that?" Ahsoka asked him. "Where did you hear it?"

She tried to move past his words, how right he had been that she felt forgotten, discarded like an easily replaceable padawan.

"You can thank the darling Duchess for that," Maul tilted his head in her direction.

Satine's eyes widened and her entire body became more alert as her eyes darted around at the Jedi who were now watching her intently.

"What?" Satine asked Maul. "I wasn't even alive when that happened."

"You didn't have to be," Maul stated calmly. "Miss Tano here explained everything to you and you told me it all."

Satine shook her head. "That's not true, I have said nothing to you. When would I have possibly had the opportunity to tell you anything and better yet, why would I want to breath a word to you after what you did?"

"Well if it is of any consolation to you and your friends here," Maul motioned his head around the room. "You didn't do it willingly," He shrugged as if it were an afterthought, "Or even consciously for that matter."

Satine opened her mouth as if to speak only to close it over, realising she had nothing to say that wasn't a stupid question.

"What is he talking about?" Obi-Wan asked Mace, moving towards him.

"I'm right here," Maul reminded him. "You could always ask nicely."

Mace shook his head, ignoring the Zabrak man. He didn't even know how to explain this to Obi-Wan.

"I believe he has tethered the Duchess' soul and life force to his own," Mace explained. "A dark side technique, one that hasn't been used in thousands of years and has spawned many legends and myths."

Ahsoka's eyes widened when she heard this. As a youngling in the Temple she would remember all the old legends that would be read to her and her crèchemates at bedtime. There was one in particular stuck in her mind, it was one to instill on them, the dangers of attachments.

"Wait," She moved closer to Mace. "The Geiso Caves, from the legends in the younglings bedtime stories?"

"It would seem," Mace nodded. "I take it I'm correct?"

"You most certainly are," Maul smiled to himself.

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. "I've never heard this myth before," He looked to Mace and Ahsoka. "What happens?"

Ahsoka looked to Mace waiting for him to explain only to find him looking at her expectantly. She was surprised that he even trusted her to tell it right but didn't let it show on her face. Instead she turned to Obi-Wan to tell him the legend.

"It has a rather long backstory but I'll just get to the point," Ahsoka reached up to pimch at her arm again. "There was a man, a Jedi, he loved this woman very much but she grew ill, the doctors said that she was going to die. The man couldn't bear the idea of living without her so he sought out a cure. He was cast out of the Jedi Order for his attachments and the lengths that he was willing to go to in order to save her life, they all feared he would turn to the dark side, which he did. He travelled the galaxy in search of a cure and found Geiso, a Sith planet where he came across a cave, the walls of which were lined with crystals. He brought a crystal back with him and performed a ritual, tying her life force to his own, when she did pass, it gave him the ability to pull her back, she was never truly dead, she was in a world between. He was happy until he noticed things about her. She started to grow weaker and bruises, cuts, burns, they would all appear on her skin with no clue as to where they came from. He realised that it wasn't permanent, he couldn't carry her soul with him for the rest of his life. He didn't finish the ritual, he needed the help of a Jedi to do so. He needed both light and dark but he didn't have it. She died a few weeks after he'd brought her back. He later killed himself in order to be with her."

Satine gaped at her. "This was read to children before they went to sleep?"

"Need I remind you of your own people's stories?" Obi-Wan asked with a raised eyebrow.

Satine threw him a glare before looking back to Mace and Ahsoka.

"Is that what happened to me?" Satine asked them. It would explain a lot, the burns, the nightmares.

"It is," Maul smiled. "I believe the words you are looking for are 'Thank You'."

Obi-Wan watched Maul with a tilted head. The work he was willing to put in, the sheer effort, just to hurt Obi-Wan.

"Why would you go to such lengths?" Aayla asked the question Obi-Wan had been wondering.

"It's much more fun for me this way," Maul gloated. "I can rip her away from him, watching as his heart breaks, which was rather entertaining I must say," He told Obi-Wan. "Then I'd let him grieve, I'd let him wallow in his misery, blame himself," He let out a light chuckle. "Then I'd orchestrate a big happy reunion, so sweet and happy," He faked a simper. "Then I'd get her to crush his heart, tell him herself all about how she hated him, resented him for leaving her and blamed him for everything, the whole 'I never loved you yada-yada', you get the picture," He seemed almost bored with himself as he said it. "Then I kill her again, I'd watch him become distraught and then I'd kill him," Maul smiled like a happy child. "The perfect revenge if you ask me."

The room was silent for a few breaths. Everyone was speechless watching the man who'd clearly started to go insane some time ago, smiling to himself. Satine was the first one to speak up after he'd finished.

"None of that is true," She told him. "I would never say such things."

"Not by choice," Maul told him. "And I wouldn't waste your breath lying to me Satine, I know everything, like I keep saying."

Something about the way he had spoken her real name was unnerving to everyone in the room. Ahsoka felt a shiver hurry it's way up her spine and it was almost as if a cold breeze had run through the entire room.

"I'm not lying," Satine assured him. "None of what you said is true."

"Really?" Maul asked her with yet another bone chilling laugh. "None of it?" He tilted his head. "You don't hate him for everything he did to you, all the pain he caused you. He abandoned you for his precious Jedi and you don't resent him? You don't blame him for your death, you don't think it was his fault? You don't want to see him dead just as much as I do?"

"No!" Satine said hopelessly, the pain crumbling through her voice. Everyone could hear her tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I find that very hard to believe," Maul spoke in a low voice, completely calm and laid-back but something about that just made it that much more terrifying. "And considering I know absolutely everything there is to know about you, I think I have a very good idea of everything."

"Why does he keep saying that?" Satine asked the Jedi, trying to fight the tears. "How does he know all this?"

Mace averted his eyes, looking almost guilty, which he was. He knew he should have mentioned it beforehand but he just wasn't sure how to broach the topic. Now Maul had ruined any chance he had at explaining things in a way that wouldn't potentially give the Duchess a heart attack.

"It's a side effect of the ritual," Mace explained. "Not something the younglings would have heard in the legends, the books that contain this information are in the restricted section, only members of the council have access to them," He was stalling, clearly. "He tethered your life force to his own, giving him control over your life force and subsequently, you."

Satine's eyes grew and for a moment all sound faded away, the world became blurry and she thought she would collapse into a pitiful pile on the ground. Then it all came back into focus.

"He what?" She said louder than intended. "H-he can control me?"

"Not right now Duchess," Mace hurried to elaborate. "He would need access to the force which he doesn't currently have."

"Yes I can only see your thoughts," Maul gloated.

"Oh is that all?" Satine asked sarcastically. "Well I suppose that's fine then, isn't it?"

Maul actually laughed at this. He looked towards Satine.

"You know you're quite the funny woman," He craned his neck to glance at Obi-Wan. "I can see why you're so besotted," He turned his head back to Satine. "Your taste in men however remains a mystery."

Obi-Wan closed his eyes for a moment, trying to find even a shred of peace. Satine was back, or had she never even left, he couldn't quite understand. Maul now had abilities that...

"Hold on," Obi-Wan felt like a stone was sitting at the bottom of his stomach. "So a month ago, when I visited you in your cell, that was-"

"All true," Maul watched him wickedly. "Like I said, I know everything."

Satine narrowed his eyes at their exchange. Obi-Wan looked even more broken than he had when they began and Maul looked like a predator playing with its food.

"What are you talking about?" Satine queried. "What happened one month ago?"

Obi-Wan went to explain himself but Maul beat him to the punch.

"Your lover paid me a visit, it was a rather entertaining show," He smiled. "He blamed me of course, claiming that I 'took you' from him. It was my understanding of course, that you were never his, according to all your memories at least. There was no ring on your finger when I arrived on Mandalore and I'm sure that if I had never reared my head, there never would have been, not from Kenobi anyway. Of course he said that if you had asked him, he would abandon his Order but you and I both know that's not true, Satine."

Again, her name on his lips felt wrong, sickening. Satine shuddered at the sound, a cold chill somehow making it's way through her heavy cloak. The silence of the room was only broken by a shuddering breath that Satine let out against her will. Her eyes prickled with tears when she heard a voice.

"How do we fix this?" Obi-Wan asked Mace.

Satine's head flicked to him and her mind flooded with thoughts that sunk her heart. He didn't even try to deny it, he shrugged it off and changed the subject. She felt sick to her stomach and wanted to run from the room. She was left wondering how much of a fool she had been to let him pull the strings of her heart for the last decade and a half.

"Quite the fool," Maul jumped in before Mace could say anything. "I would expect a woman such as yourself to be smarter."

Satine didn't blink but the tears fell over the edge of her eyelids anyway. She wanted to look away from his cold yellow eyed gaze but she just couldn't tear her eyes away.

Obi-Wan turned his head to watch the exchange for a moment, not knowing what to do. He turned back to Mace and asked again, "How do we fix this?"

"We need the crystal and the person who performed the ritual," Mace looked defeated. "We would have to go to the caves and make it permanent, breaking the hold Maul has on her. The problem being, we don't know what would happen afterwards, the legend never stated since the woman died."

"That's not the only problem," Ahsoka spoke up. "I'm not sure about any of you but I've never come across the Ancient Sith planet of Geiso in any of my travels, in fact until today, I had thought it to be fictional."

"Thought so too, I did," Yoda spoke up. "In the archives, Geiso is not."

"You need not worry about all those problems because you'll never get that far," Maul grinned at them. "I don't intend on helping, so I'd recommend saying your goodbye's now."

"We'll find a way to do this without your help," Anakin told him with a glare. Since the day Anakin and Obi-Wan met, Maul had been causing the man pain and Anakin was sick of it.

"There isn't a way," Mace admitted, somewhat defeatedly. "Not one that we could find in time."

"So that's it?" Anakin asked them. "We're just going to stand by when we could have done something and let her die _again_? We wouldn't even be in this position if we had gotten involved in the first place."

"Calm your tone Skywalker," Mace spoke sternly, although he agreed with him that they had made a mistake in not helping. He knew, just like the rest of the Jedi in that room, that they should have helped Satine when they had the chance.

"See Kenobi," Maul grinned happily. "I told you, I wasn't nearly finished with you."

Obi-Wan scowled at him when Mace shook his head.

"Master Secura, bring Maul back to his cell," Mace glared at him. "I think we got all the information we will out of him."

Aayla wasted no time in marching Maul out of the room. She was sick of him, they all were.

The doors closed with a clang and with it Obi-Wan's hope shattered before his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it. I really wanted this to make sense and land well without being too crazy but also still crazy enough for the world of Star Wars, I don't know, there'll be more information regarding the ritual and all that crap to come.  
> Thanks for reading!


	9. To Hell With Protocol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All hope seems lost, Ahsoka has had enough and looks for answers while Obi-Wan and Satine struggle with the news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I needed someone to be really into the code and a bit of a dick and since I've already got a character arc planned out for Mace it had to be someone else. Just a throwaway asshole, you know, so anyway I decided on Agen Kolar, just for little snippy bits.

Satine watched the door close with a clang. This was it and it certainly wasn't what she wanted to hear. She looked to Obi-Wan and saw a look that she guessed she also wore. He looked like he had been beaten down for the billionth time and was sick of it. She continued to watch him, noticing the darkened bags under his eyes. She wanted to hug him, kiss him and hold him until everything was okay but she couldn't get Maul's words out of her brain. She was ready to ignore everything he had said and pass it off as a lie but when Obi-Wan did the same is said something to her. A little part of her brain, one she wanted to ignore, told her that Obi-Wan lied to her. It wasn't the first time he had done it, she knew he was perfectly capable of pulling the wool over her eyes. She also knew she was gullible enough to believe it, something that made her feel even more like a fool. She wondered sometimes if it was a case of being naive or if she wanted so badly for it to be true that she lied to herself, she couldn't decide which was worse.

"That was... informative," Satine said after a few moments silence. There really wasn't a better word to use that didn't fall more to the negative side of things.

Obi-Wan looked up at her with a lump in his throat. The guilt was starting to kill him, whenever he thought that he had overcome it, it would come back to whack him in the face.

"We can fix this," Ahsoka stated adamantly. "We can find a way, we don't need him."

"Yes we do," Mace sighed, always the bearer of the bad news. "There is not enough time to search for a cure that might not even exist."

"Well then what are we supposed to do?" She asked him exasperatedly. "We can't just sit around and do nothing. There has to be something, something we aren't seeing," She started to pinch at her arm again. "Something in the books, maybe we missed something, a clue, anything, we-"

"Ahsoka stop!" Anakin grabbed her hand and tried to pry it off her arm.

"No!" She spun at him. "We can't just give up," She looked around hopelessly only to find that nobody would meet her eyes.

"We aren't giving up Ahsoka," Anakin tries to explain.

"Well it certainly looks that way," Ahsoka shook her head and turned for the door.

"Where are you going?" Anakin asked her, moving quickly towards her.

"I'm going to get answers," Ahsoka turned back angrily. "I'm not waiting around for the council to fail someone once again."

As she said it her eyes moved towards Obi-Wan. It was involuntary, it wasn't her intention to hurt him more but she couldn't help it.

Obi-Wan felt a stab to his heart for the umpteenth time when her eyes flickered in his direction. Having two people that he cared so much about being so angry with him was beginning to take it's toll, especially when the guilt of failure played it's part in the matter.

"Ahsoka that's not fair," Obi-Wan pleaded.

"You do _not_ want to start a conversation with me about what's fair Obi-Wan," Ahsoka let out a sigh.

Once again her words cut him like a sharp blade. Obi-Wan did what he did best and concealed his hurt from showing on his face but that only proved to worsen the pain for him.

"Ahsoka," Anakin began but the door had already closed behind her.

The shutting door echoed throughout the room until Satine spoke up.

"Was he telling the truth?" She looked at Obi-Wan with an expression he couldn't begin to place.

"According to the legends Ahsoka spok-" Obi-Wan began.

"You know that's not what I'm talking about," Satine spoke quietly, almost hesitantly.

Obi-Wan paused in thought, this was not a conversation he wanted to have, not after everything they had just heard.

"Which part?" He knew asking if she didn't trust him was pointless, it would only result in a fight, one he didn't want to have. This wasn't a question of her trust in him, he understood that much at least.

"Did you abandon her?" Satine asked him with a heavy heart. She wanted to believe it was a lie or simply a misunderstanding but she only knew what she had been told and Obi-Wan hadn't exactly been very forthcoming on his own defense.

"Did she say that?" Obi-Wan asked with pain seeping into his words. He knew that Ahsoka had spoken to Satine about it and he wanted to know if that was truly what the girl believed.

"Not in those words exactly," Satine reached up to fiddle with the collar of her cloak. "However the general point was that you were needed but you weren't there for her," She paused for a moment, watching his reactions intently. "Tell me it's not true," She pleaded with an ache in her chest. ' _Please Ben'_ , She wanted to add but she held her tongue.

Obi-Wan paused again, to Satine, a sign of guilt. She waited for an answer and after a short silence, she realised that she wasn't going to get one. For her, his silence was answer enough.

Obi-Wan didn't want to speak of this here, not in front of the council. After his display of tears he was acutely aware of the emotions he was displaying, that fear instilled at birth was hard to just ignore. He had tried to fight Ahsoka's case, he truly did, but he had just lost Satine, a loss he hadn't dealt with. He was hurt, distracted, afraid to fail, he got in his own head and tormented himself. He was afraid to fail her and when he did just that, he was ashamed of himself. He just couldn't look into her big blue eyes, once so innocent, now full of sadness, and tell her that he had failed. He had failed another person he loved.

"And the other part?" Satine almost didn't want to know. "Or will your silent answers just have to do?"

"I'd rather not have this discussion now," Obi-Wan told her, quieter than he had intended.

"There's a very high chance that I'll be dead soon so when would you like to have this conversation?" Satine looked upon him with a glare.

She was hurt, a feeling that had become the norm for her. She had no idea what was going in Obi-Wan's brain, all she had for answers were what was happening right in front of her eyes. He was refusing eye contact, avoiding questions that she needed answers to, questions that were met with painful silence and deflection. She had no idea why he refused to answer, all she knew was that he would give her no clarity.

"I won't let that happen Satine," Obi-Wan said definitively. "Not again."

"A noble declaration," Satine sighed. "But one of no real substance."

"Since when have you become such a pessimist?" Obi-Wan asked her. "What happened to your seemingly endless supply of hope?"

"A Darksaber to the abdomen will have that effect on someone Obi-Wan," Satine pointed out. "All hope gets you is misery, at least in my experiences."

"We will find a way to fix this Satine," Obi-Wan stated. He continued to watch her with saddened eyes, Maul had broken her just like he had intended and in doing so he had broken Obi-Wan.

Satine shook her head at his perseverance, she wanted to have hope, to believe there was a way to fix this, it was in her nature to do so. She blinked slowly and let out a sigh. She just couldn't do it, she couldn't build up her expectations only to have them knocked down again. She looked to Mace and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Are there any other symptoms or side effects that I can be looking forward to before my inevitable death?" Satine asked him with a blank look in her eyes.

Obi-Wan watched her in pain. The fire that used to be in her eyes was gone, Maul had extinguished the flame from her very being. He hoped it was still there, just buried under the pain. He needed a way to fix this, he needed to help her.

Mace glanced at Yoda and the two shared a look of dispair. The Duchess was a Mandalorian, she was a passionate person with strong and powerful emotions. Every force user could see what she was feeling and it was agonising to watch.

"The nightmares will continue," Mace told her. "Maul will have full control of what you see and relive. He can't control your actions at any point but he can see everything you're thinking."

"And the burns?" She asked him. "Will they also worsen?"

"I'm not sure," Mace explained. "We can however create a gel to calm them."

"Thank you," Satine nodded. It wasn't exactly what she wanted to hear but just knowing that they were still trying to help her was enough to make her feel grateful. _'That should make the march towards death slightly more comfortable'_ , She was tempted to comment on it but once again held her tongue, she wouldn't feel right taking her frustrations out on the Jedi that did nothing wrong according to her knowledge. 

Mace didn't know how else to respond to that so he simply settled for a nod.

"Now what?" Anakin asked nobody in particular, he was willing to accept the answers of anyone, but he didn't get that.

Only silence followed for a time. Nobody could conjure up anything of any use. They were out of options but not time, it was a sick position to be in. All they could do was wait out the clock.

Satine started to feel uncomfortable in the silence that followed everything. She decided to break it up with something.

"So apart from the war ending, is there any other positive news that I missed?" Satine asked with a skeptically raised eyebrow.

Anakin looked towards her at this, she was a peculiar woman to say the least. He suspected that this was just a way to distract herself and appear strong. He found himself admiring that trait in her, he was a Jedi and could feel all of her pain, he always could. Even on the Coronet he could sense how miserable she was, yet she never showed it on her face, she concealed it and put on a cold and unbothered facade. She would show emotions, that much was obvious to everyone, she was an incredibly passionate woman who would fight -with words- for what she believed in. He had seen her angry, frustrated, occasionally happy, everything but miserable, he had never seen her break down in tears, until today. But as soon as the tears began to fall she would boarder herself back up and it would appear as if nothing had happened. She reminded him of another man that did something similar.

"Really nothing?" Satine asked although it had been what she was expecting.

"Well uh," Anakin spoke up, clearing his throat with a cough. "Padmé gave birth."

Satine's eyes grew wide and a grin spread across her face. She had no idea that her dear friend was even seeing someone let alone pregnant.

"Padmé had a baby?" She asked as her features relaxed, a sad smile gracing her face.

"Twins," Anakin smiled at the opportunity to discuss his children. "A boy and a girl."

"Twins," Satine let out a happily sad exhale. "What are their names?"

"Luke and Leia Amidala Skywalker," Anakin took the moment to beam like the proud parent that he was.

Satine smiled with him before his words clicked in her brain. Her eyes grew wide again and her eyebrows shot up.

"Skywalker?" She asked in curiosity with a nod towards Anakin.

"We've been married for three years," Anakin shrugged, he still felt a little weird discussing his marriage around other Jedi even though he knew that some of them had entered into relationships themselves.

"Three years!" Satine shrieked. "And she didn't say anything to me," Satine added as an afterthought.

"If it's any consolation, Anakin didn't tell me about his marriage until I was meeting his newborn children," Obi-Wan piped up.

Satine turned to him with a raised eyebrow, a look she had perfected over the years.

"I doubt it would be very easy to talk to Mr. Jedi Code about matters of the heart," Satine couldn't resist the light jab. "It's not exactly your forte."

"Mr. Jedi Code?" Obi-Wan asked with a narrowing of his eyes. "I hardly think that's an accurate name, I never even-"

"There is no emotion; there is peace. There is no ignorance; there is knowledge. There is no passion; there is serenity. There is no death; there is the force," Satine looked at him pointedly. "I did not learn that because I wanted to, I can assure you that much. You repeateded that ridiculous code at least three times a day, so much so that it is now imprinted in my brain."

"It was not three times a day!" Obi-Wan argued.

"You're right," Satine shrugged. "It was more like five."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes at her. "Who is the collection of hyperbole now?" He mumbled under his breath.

"That crown still rests upon your head," Satine assured him.

Mace, Yoda, Plo, and a few others in the room internally smiled at the comment Satine had made about Obi-Wan's insistence on never straying from the code. They had known him when he was a youngling and they all knew him to be guilty of this. It was what made his love for the Duchess such a surprise to some of them.

"And ridiculous?" Obi-Wan asked after a few moments of silence.

"Do you really expect me to find it rational? I am Mandalorian after all, we have rather different philosophies regarding 'attachments' as you liked to refer to them as," Satine pointed out. "And I truly must commend you for your phrasing in that. If your goal was to drive people away I'm sure being called an attachment would do the trick for you."

As long as Obi-Wan had known her, Satine wouldn't hide her opinions or beliefs. He admired her for it, loved her for it but that didn't mean he wasn't the tiniest bit worried about how her words would come across to the other Jedi. Unluckily for Obi-Wan, Agen Kolar spoke up with his own thoughts on her outspokeness. Obi-Wan winced inwardly when he saw him open his mouth, he knew Agen was one of the few that weren't big fans of the change.

"That rule has been in place for centuries to stop Jedi from turning to the dark side over something as trival as an attachment," He argued.

"Somehow I find it very difficult to picture Chancellor Palparine or Count Dooku loving anything or anyone," Satine explained in her usual diplomatic voice. "And if that rule was proving successful then you would have no need to change it."

Satine was no stranger to change, especially when it was to fix a broken society. She had always been strongly against that particular part of the Jedi code, to her it just seemed cruel.

Agen shrunk back and refused to give any other response. Anakin let out a small laugh when Satine's eyes turned back to him.

"Now I see why you and Padmé are such good friends," Anakin smiled to her.

"How is Padmé?" Satine asked him with a sad smile.

"She's good," Anakin told her. "Tired but happy."

"I'm glad to hear it," Satine smiled at Anakin.

"I'm sure she'll be happy to see you again," Anakin told her.

The face that Satine made told Anakin a few things, one being that she had no intention of seeing Padmé again. Her silence and aversion to eye contact was proof enough that she wouldn't be paying her old friend a visit.

Then the awkward silence continued, nobody in the room was sure of how to continue. All eyes fell to the floor, everyone lost in their own thoughts. There wasn't a single person in the room who wasn't experiencing some form of guilt, some more than others. The council didn't intervene over a political matter, they had allowed it to stop them from doing the right thing. Anakin still felt like he had betrayed his friend and Satine felt like she was doing the same to Padmé. Obi-Wan felt it more than anyone, every way he looked at the situation he would see it as his fault, if he had just done this or hadn't done that.

"I'm so sorry Satine," Obi-Wan whispered to her. He was afraid to raise his voice any more, he didn't want anyone else to hear what he was saying to her. "For that mission, for leaving you and for this, it just..." He trailed off, 'it just...' what? He didn't know how to explain it.

Satine met his eyes in silence. She wasn't going to say it was fine, to lie like that, she wasn't going to say anything. She wanted to keep her thoughts and opinions to herself, only she could no longer do that. Gone were the days of finding solace in her own thoughts, she wasn't alone, he was going to be there even if it wasn't always obvious.

* * * * *

Ahsoka marched down the halls in anger. How could they be so willing to give up? She certainly wasn't about to throw in the towel and let Satine die again. Just when she had thought they had achieved peace it fell to pieces. Maybe she had jinxed herself by ever thinking they were safe.

She continued down towards the detention centre, noticing the lights dimming the closer she got. She didn't know why she was going to Maul, chasing after him, she just needed more answers. The questions that went along with those answers were a mystery to her but she hoped that by the time she reached his cell she would have that part figured out.

She spotted Aayla walking towards her with a frown and their eyes connected.

"Ahsoka?" Her eyes formed slits in confusion. "What are you doing down here? Maul is secured."

Ahsoka smiled tightly at the woman. When they had last met she was a padawan and Aayla was a Jedi Master, someone she looked up to, now she was unsure of all of it. Ahsoka was no longer a padawan and Aayla sat with the council, they had both moved farther in the opposite directions.

"I'm paying him another visit," Ahsoka explained. "I'm hoping there's something he's not telling us that will aide us in saving the Duchess."

"I'll join you," Aayla told her with a glance over her shoulder, back where Maul's cell lay. "I doubt that the likely morbid discussion in the council chambers is getting anywhere."

"You would be correct in thinking that," Ahsoka muttered as the two approached Maul's cell.

Aayla looked to the side at the young woman, in three short years she had grown and matured a lot. Aayla wasn't a member of the council when Ahsoka had left so she was never fully aware of what had gone down, everyone refused to speak of it, perhaps out of guilt, it seemed that way to Aayla.

They reached Maul's cell and within moments were standing inside with the door sliding shut behind them.

"Back for more?" Maul asked with a raised eyebrow.

Ahsoka descended the few steps and walked towards Maul with her arms crossed over her chest. She watched him in silence for a few moments, simply gauging his reactions to the tension of the room.

"Would you two care to know how their meeting is going?" He finally asked.

"Thanks but we'll pass," Ahsoka smiled but her eyes scowled.

A glint of something passed through Maul's eyes, it was gone before Ahsoka could even begin to place it.

"Are you sure?" He pressed on. "It's rather entertaining."

"I believe our definitions of entertaining differ quite a bit," Aayla moved to stand beside Ahsoka looking every bit as disgusted by Maul's presence as she did.

"Well then what are we here for?" He asked them, almost bored. "I thought I was finished with my interrogation."

"We weren't satisfied with your answers so we came for more," Ahsoka explained in a cold voice. "So what else do you have to tell us Maul, we know you left something out, you can either offer up that information voluntarily or I'll force it out of you."

Maul laughed at her before a sneer spread across his features. "I'm powerful than you could ever hope to be."

"Then you must have been having a pretty bad day when I captured you," Ahsoka returned with equal fire.

The two glared at each other, Neither one willing to break their gaze away or even blink. Aayla watched, afraid to make a sound, she even felt that her breaths were too loud in the palpable silence.

Finally Ahsoka tore her eyes away but not in a show of weakness, something had caught her eyes. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to see clearer in the crimson lit room.

"Your arm," She spoke, barely audibly.

Maul, for once in the past few weeks, seemed to be just as confused as she did. He looked down to where she had been staring. Along his arms were burns, similar to the ones Satine wore. They were difficult to notice due to the pigment of his skin but they were there.

Ahsoka reached out to press her hand against his burn. Maul let out a hissed breath at the contact. He looked down at her, wondering how he hadn't noticed it until now. Ahsoka's eyes shot up to his with a realisation and her arm retracted. She took a few steps back with bulging eyes. Her head swiftly snapped in Aayla's direction and she was moving quickly towards the door.

"We have to go," She spoke quickly.

Aayla followed her out the door, ignoring Maul's confused glances and followed Ahsoka down the hall.

"What's going on Ahsoka?" Aayla hurried to keep with her pace.

"I have a theory," She explained, halting in her steps and spinning around to meet Aayla.

The Twi'lek woman nearly crashed into her at the sudden stop. She watched Ahsoka in confusion.

"And I need your help," She almost looked afraid to finish her thought. "You have access to the restricted section right?"

"Yes," Aayla said hesitantly, tilting her head at her.

"Great because I need to get in there," Ahsoka explained with a pleading in her eyes.

Aayla contemplated her options for a moment. She hadn't been a member of the council for very long, she was the newest member at that, taking Saesee's seat after his death in the Chancellors office. However the Duchess' life was in question here. One last look at Ahsoka was all she needed to make her decision. Ahsoka was a perfect example of what happens when the council follow protocol as opposed to doing the right thing. She wasn't about to that mistake.

"Alright," Aayla nodded. "Let's go."

* * * * *

Satine let out a sigh that somehow morphed into a quiet laugh. She recieved a few strange laughs from the Jedi around when Obi-Wan asked her the question they were all clearly wondering.

  
"What are you laughing at?" There was no malice in his words, only confusion and curiosity.

Satine knew he wouldn't like the joke that had made her laugh the way she did. She knew he would find very little humour in it but she was in an odd place. She had just been told that there was now a very short timer on her life and there was nothing else to do other than wait it out, obviously not in those words but the overall message remained.

"The irony involved in my death," She explained with a saddened smirk. "I doubt you would very much enjoy it."

"Humour me," Obi-Wan looked as though he could also do with a laugh, even a smile.

"Alright then," Satine would make sure to remind him afterwards that he had been warned it was a joke he would not like. "My entire life my controversial political views have made many people want to see my head on a pike. Yet when I do eventually die, it's not because of my life's work or anything of the sort, it's as a pawn in a game of revenge. It was completely insignificant and unimportant. He managed to take away practically everything meaningful that I had ever achieved and destroy it," Satine laughed humourlessly. "And if that wasn't enough, if taking away everything I had worked for wasn't enough for him, he has now decided to ruin every memory I ever had. Every thought that was once my own is now his, every little thing that makes me my own person is now tainted, again insignificant and unimportant."

Obi-Wan watched her in silence, he knew her laughs were to stop herself from crying, he had seen her hopeless humour more times than he would have liked to.

It was finally setting in for Satine that she wasn't alone, even in the confines of her own mind she wasn't alone. Everything she was or ever had been was being overtaken by Maul, swallowed by his influence.

Obi-Wan shuffled over the small amount that would bring him to stand directly in front of Satine. He looked down to meet her eyes and in them he only saw hurt, not just pain, pure agony. He could see how she wanted to scream at everything and cry until she no longer could. He could also see how she refused to do any of that, how even in times like this she was determined to keep a brave face and not allow her weaknesses to show, it was one of the reasons he loved her.

"I know you're still mad at me," He stated the obvious in a mere whisper. "But if I hold you do you promise to not punch me in the throat?"

He'd already held her twice in front of the council, he figured that a third wouldn't do much damage.

"I'm a pacifist but I make no promises," Satine pointed out with hardened eyes until they softened. She was angry with him, furious even but hearing that she was likely to die very soon made it difficult to deny him. She just wanted to be within his arms, pretending the rest of the world didn't exist.

She moved closer to him, resting the side of her head against his shoulder at the same time his arms circled around her. It made her feel strangely safe even with Maul lurking in her mind. She held her hands in between their chests and allowed them to clutch Obi-Wan's tunics close to her. She felt one of his thumbs run over a small spot on her back and she bit her lip to fight the tears. Ahsoka had already told her of the code and how it changed. The timing felt like another cruel joke to her, although it's not like she could be with him now, not after- she refused to let herself thing of it, she just wanted to enjoy his company while she had it.

Obi-Wan let out a breath, it was slightly shakey and he hoped that Satine wouldn't notice. He knew that if he turned to the side he could press a kiss to Satine's forehead. She had always been at that perfect height for him to kiss her on the forehead without having to duck or reach up, as long as she wasn't wearing high heels of course. He was tempted but something stopped him from doing so, the eyes that he knew were watching were just too much too soon for him. He turned his head and made eye contact with Anakin. Obi-Wan knew how defeated he looked, he could see the pity in Anakin's eyes, he guessed that the rest of the council had similar looks but was too afraid to look, he didn't think he could handle any more of the pitying glances.

The doors swung open and Ahsoka and Aayla hurried inside looking out of breath. Ahsoka had a book tucked under her arm.

"He didn't kill himself!" Ahsoka said louder than intended as she tried to catch her breath.

Satine lifted her head from Obi-Wan's chest and stepped out of his grasp, leaving small wrinkles on his tunic where she had gripped the fabric.

"Who didn't do what now?" Anakin uncrossed his arms and stood more on edge.

"The man from the legend," Ahsoka hurried to explain. "I went to visit Maul-"

"Under whose authorisation?" Agen Kolar spoke up in question.

Ahsoka glared at him. "Would you like to see a permission slip or do you want to hear what I found?"

"What did you find padawan Tano?" Mace spoke up almost out of reflex.

A silence passed when he realised what he'd said. Ahsoka watched him, she too was in a momentary silence. She thought she saw regret flash in his eyes but it was gone before she could even consider the thought. That was happening to her so frequently that she was being to wonder if she was imagining things.

"Ahsoka," He corrected. "Continue."

"Right," She tried to get back on track. "Uh, Master Secura and I, we visited Maul and that's when I saw the burns on his arms, the same that Satine has. It gave me a theory and we went to the restricted section to check," She looked as though she was struggling to put it into words. "That book you spoke of Master Windu, we found it and we looked over it, along with the younglings story book. There was an illustration to go along with the story which I didn't think to much of to begin with since it is a children's book after all," She opened it up and flipped to a page, holding it up and pointing to the man in the picture.

Mace looked in at it. "He's burnt," He had to squint in order to see but it was there.

Ahsoka closed the book over and set it down on the round comm table in the middle of the room.

"I checked with the book in the restricted section and it goes into more detail about the man's death," Ahsoka continued.

"Hold on how did you get into the restricted section?" Agen asked again.

"I let her in," Aayla spoke up with an almost challenging tone, it was as if she was asking for him to fight her on it. "Go ahead Ahsoka."

"The man was found dead, it was believed that he had killed himself but I don't think that was the case," Ahsoka hurried to explain, almost as if she was afraid to forget it. "That world between life and death, where Satine got her burns, they were a symbol of death slowly dragging the woman back, they're almost like a mark that promises death."

"Lovely," Satine commented to herself.

"Maul has the same marks," Ahsoka explained with a grin. "The man didn't kill himself, when the woman died so did he, by tying his soul to her's he tied himself to death."

"That's a weird thing to be smiling about Snips," Anakin pointed out with a worried look.

"No Anakin don't you get it?" She huffed in annoyance. "If Satine dies so will Maul, he will never get to do the one thing he's been waiting for his entire life."

"Kill Obi-Wan, he can't," Yoda spoke up.

"We have leverage," Ahsoka smiled.

Obi-Wan watched her with wide eyes, he wanted to run to her and hug her as a symbol of his thanks but he knew that would _definitely_ result in a punch to the throat, she hadn't yet forgiven him and he wouldn't force her to do so until she was ready.

It took a few moments for the news to dawn on everyone but once it did it felt as if the room had brightened significantly.

"Have you told him such?" Obi-Wan asked cautiously.

"I figured you would like to do the honours," Ahsoka told him with a slight upturn at the corners of her mouth.

Satine felt like her heart had stopped when Ahsoka had said it. She blinked a few times to make sure that she hadn't in fact imagined it.

"In that case, I think I'll pay Maul a visit," Obi-Wan stated, turning for the door.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Anakin asked him, fearing that the things Maul might say would only do to hurt him.

"I'll be fine Anakin," Obi-Wan assured him. "Just..." He quickly glanced in Satine's direction before returning his eyes to Anakin's.

_Take care of Satine._

Anakin understood the nonverbal message easily and nodded with a reassuring smile.

"Not a problem," Anakin promised him.

Once Obi-Wan had left the room Anakin turned to the rest of the Jedi.

Satine felt a small blossoming form in her chest, it was a feeling she used to have constantly, hope. She looked to Ahsoka and words seemed to fail her, her eyes met that of the young Togrutan and she could feel that her thanks were made clear.

Silence had become normal for the Jedi during this meeting, it was no longer awkward but filled with thoughts and private contemplations Mace was the first to break it to give further instructions.

"Master Secura," He addressed her. "Bring the Duchess and pa- Ahsoka to one of the empty rooms, they can stay there for the night. Then return to the council chambers and we will discuss this mission in further detail."

Aayla nodded and soon found herself leading Ahsoka and Satine towards the rooms.

* * * * *

Obi-Wan hadn't gone down this hall since that first time he had visited Maul, at least he could be sure that there would be no other guests waiting for him inside, it would just be him and Maul which somehow made it even more terrifying.

He arrived outside the door and stopped to take a few breaths before he entered. He didn't even address the guards standing by the door, they were the last thing on his mind.

He saw Maul and their eyes met almost immediately. He moved until he stood in front of him.

"Why is everyone paying me these visits?" Maul asked him. "If you weren't finished with me why was I sent back here?"

Obi-Wan smiled at him. "So this crystal, it's whereabouts?"

"Try all you want Kenobi but you won't get it out of me," Maul smirked.

"Have you not been paying attention to Satine's thoughts?" Obi-Wan asked him.

Maul's face grew confused, he hadn't to be fair, he had missed the last few minutes because he wanted to know what the Togrutan was so shocked by. He decided that a hug shared by Kenobi and his Duchess was relatively unimportant and tuned out.

"No I can't say that I have," Maul rolled his eyes with a sigh. "I was growing sick of her whiney thoughts."

"Well it looks like that plan is working out great for you," Obi-Wan laughed. "All you've managed to do is give yourself a headache."

"Get to your point Kenobi," Maul almost growled.

"Why not have a little fun before I ruin your plans," Obi-Wan shrugged.

"Just because I can't control when she dies doesn't mean my plan is ruined," Maul told him. "She will die and afterwards I will kill you, make no mistake about it."

"That's going to be a difficult task to complete when you're dead," Obi-Wan smiled.

Maul tried to hide his confusion but Obi-Wan caught it in his golden eyes.

"You see, Ahsoka found out something particularly interesting when she visited you earlier," Obi-Wan reached out to poke Maul's burns before pulling his hand back. "The man in the legends never killed himself, by tying his soul to the woman's he put himself in the position to be pulled into death with her. If you don't finish that ritual, you're going to die having never fully realised your revenge."

Maul watched him in anger, the burning hatred in his eyes was clear to Obi-Wan. He was certain that had Maul not been restrained, he would be lying dead on the floor in a matter of moments, no lightsaber or force necessary.

"So back to the crystal," Obi-Wan knew he shouldn't gloat but Maul made it so easy.

Maul continued to glare in silence, he was imagining what it would feel like to ram his lightsaber through Obi-Wan's chest. He would often dwell on that thought during his years in solitude, it fueled his hatred, his anger, something he needed desperately at that moment.

"We don't have all day," Obi-Wan reminded him.

Maul glared, wanting to rip Obi-Wan's head off, he really didn't have a choice here and it was driving him mad.

"Alright Kenobi," Maul gave in with a snarl. "I'll tell you."

The words felt sick in his mouth but Maul spat them out regardless, much to Obi-Wan's amusement.

"Well aren't you generous."

* * * * *

Obi-Wan pushed the doors of the council chambers open and stepped inside. He looked around to find that his fellow Jedi Masters had already arrived. Anakin jumped up from his chair quickly and moved towards Obi-Wan.

"What did he say?" Anakin asked with badly concealed curiosity.

After a quick glance around the room, Obi-Wan began to dwell on a different question.

"Where are Ahsoka and Satine?" He asked Anakin with furrowed brows.

"They're in their temporary quarters," Anakin filled him in. "Now what did-"

"Are they alright?" He asked before he thought to stop himself.

Anakin was tempted to laugh at him, if the circumstances were different he probably would have, he would have made some kind of joke about him being concerned about his girlfriend, it wouldn't be the first time Anakin had done it. He knew, however, that the time and place called for a less immature response.

"They're fine," Anakin sighed with a slight smile. " _She's_ fine and as long as you got an answer out of Maul, she can stay that way."

Obi-Wan nodded before addressing the rest of the Jedi.

"He gave it to Mother Talzin," Obi-Wan explained.

Obi-Wan was midly surprised when he heard it, he couldn't believe that Maul had trusted anyone else to take care of something that seemed so important. He had expected it to be hidden somewhere only Maul knew of.

"Dead, she is," Yoda pointed out.

"Meaning the crystal is somewhere on Dathomir," Obi-Wan said.

"It could be anywhere in the galaxy at this point," Shaak pointed out with a frown.

"It's worth at least checking it out," Obi-Wan needed it to be there. "The chances of it being anywhere else are rather slim."

"So are the chances of coming back from the dead but here we are," Anakin muttered under his breath, luckily for him if anyone else heard him they decided to ignore it. A part of him was hopeful that they at least had a destination but knowing that the crystal could be anywhere on that planet was a more depressing thought than he had expected.

"If it's alright with the council I would like to leave for Dathomir as soon as possible," Obi-Wan sounded hesitant, almost as if he was afraid they would say no.

"We will leave first thing tomorrow morning," Mace spoke up.

"We?" Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. He had expected the council to once again leave it up to him.

"I made sure to teach myself about the dark side of the force, we will need that information if this mission is to be a success," Mace pointed out. "Master Secura, Skywalker, I think it best that you two join us, are we all in agreement?"

He was met with multiple nods from around the room.

"In that case," Mace concluded. "I suggest you all rest up, we should leave early, I will secure access to a ship, I expect to see you all at the landing pad at 0600 hours."

There were a few nods of agreement, one from Obi-Wan but he was distracted by other thoughts. He still hadn't let the thought sink in, he could save her, he could make this right.

"Someone should probably go inform Satine and Ahsoka of the plans," Obi-Wan said it as if he were volunteering himself. He turned to Anakin with a hopeful look in his eyes. "Anakin?"

"Obi-Wan," Anakin tilted his head downwards with a frown, he looked every bit the disappointed parent that he currently felt. He figured that he should perfect the look now since he would surely need to use it once his children grew up, they did share his genetics after all, he would be surprised if they weren't at least a little bit troublesome.

"Anakin can you please just do it?" Obi-Wan sighed. "Neither of them are particularly happy with me at the moment."

"And avoiding them is sure to fix that," He mumbled sarcastically.

"Well it can't make things any worse," Obi-Wan returned sharply. Upon hearing his harsh tone he let out a sigh and reached a hand up for the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry Anakin," He cleared his throat, pulling his hand away and opening his eyes. "Can you please just tell them."

Anakin wanted to argue, he wanted to tell Obi-Wan that he couldn't keep avoiding the hurt and pain he was feeling but he knew it was futile, if he couldn't get through to him before why would now be any different? It all seemed unfair to Anakin, the timing of everything, Obi-Wan just couldn't catch a break. Right when he was starting to accept his feelings, work through his grief, Satine returned and they were back to square one, maybe even farther back. He was beyond glad that the Duchess had returned but he was worried that this would cause Obi-Wan to hide further from it all. He wanted to tell him such but he held his tongue, not wanting to add to Obi-Wan's hurt. Instead Anakin simply nodded and turned for the door leaving the rest of his thoughts unspoken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so shits starting to happen, we're getting into the big adventure, more characters to be introduced so look forwards to that.
> 
> I'm pretty sure that Mother Talzin was dead at the point of 'The Lawless' but we're just going to ignore that for plot convenience okay?
> 
> Speaking of plot convenience, I'm doing a whole different thing with Satine's family and backstory, I know that none of it will be Canon but it's a fanfic, what did you expect. Anyway while I do believe that Korkie is a Kenobi I won't be including that in this fic, this story isn't about their family (not in that sense anyway) it's about Satine and Obi-Wan with a few nice subplots for other characters (Ahsoka, Mace, Rex (his arc won't be for a while sorry)). So next chapter will see Satine's brother who will be Korkie's father, I'm just gonna make up a name for him, same with Satine's mother (that reveal won't be for a while, mainly because I decide on a name for this woman)
> 
> Sorry for the long note, I hope you enjoyed reading, please comment if you enjoyed, I love reading the comments (or don't, I'm not gonna force you, I'm not your mother, or your father, you can make your own choices) (apologies for the ramblings) :)


	10. The A-Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Satine has a dream and the team prepare to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again I'd like to state the fact that I am fudging with timelines here. I'm also adding new backstories for some characters.
> 
> Also at this point in the story Satine is 33 and Obi-Wan is 35 for reasons that might become clearer eventually, we'll see. It really just makes it easier for my brain because I wanted them to have met 15 years before ROTS but I wanted Satine to be 18 at the time for her backstory to make sense. However I thought that having Obi-Wan be 20 when Qui-Gon dies to be a bad idea so he's two years older than her. Not a big change, very minor, it just makes it easier for my brain.
> 
> Also sorry this is up so late, pobodys nerfect.

Satine felt the light creeping in through the crack in her eyelids, the warmth of the sun coated her entire body while a gentle breeze pulled her from the last remnants of sleep. Her eyes opened to the bright blue of the sky, completely devoid of a single cloud, only the sun sat in the sky, shining down on her. She pushed herself up into a sitting position and looked at the world around her, she squinted trying to place where she'd seen it before.

"Satine come back!" She heard a voice call with a laugh

Her head spun around and she pushed herself off the grass to look for the owner of the voice. Everything seemed so familiar to her, she could have sworn she'd been here before but just couldn't place it.

"Satine!" The voice giggled.

It was the voice of a child, Satine recognised, a girl. She made her way towards the lake, under the large willow tree, casting a shadow across the field that blanketed the land under it from the sun. She spotted a small bridge crossing the lake with flowers weaving through the wooden barriers. It was her home.

"Satine where did you go?"

That's when Satine spotted her, she crossed the bridge and her eyes fell on the little girl no older than five with bright red hair. There was a yellow ribbon looped around her head and she wore a light yellow dress with puffed sleeves. She watched the girl fidget with the fabric, clearly uncomfortable. The girl turned around and Satine expected her to react to her presence, she was calling her after all, however, the girl looked straight through her before turning back around.

A girl with blonde hair and blue eyes that matched the sky popped her head out from behind one of the many surrounding trees. Her hair was tied up at the top of her head with a soft blue ribbon, curling down in small waves. She wore a blue dress that matched the ribbon in her hair, it had long sleeves and buttons running down the front of it, Satine remembered it, it had been a childhood favourite of hers. The girl looked no older than eight and Satine immediately recognised her.

"Satine!" The little redheaded girl squealed, running towards younger Satine. "I found you!"

"I was beginning to think you'd given up," The blonde giggled with her younger sister as the redhead tackled her to the ground.

Young Satine fell over with a shriek that quickly turned into a laugh.

"Careful Bo," She smiled. "You're going to ruin your dress."

"I hate this dress," Bo-Katan whined. "It's too scratchy and the sleeves are too puffy."

Young Satine smiled and helped to right her sister, brushing the skirt of her dress clean of wrinkles.

"That may be but mother won't be very happy if we come back with dirt on our skirts," Younger Satine pointed out, attempting to laugh at it for Bo-Katan's sake. "Besides father said you looked very pretty today with your dress and your ribbon and you want to look nice for his birthday don't you?"

"I guess," Bo-Katan rolled her eyes with a smile. "Can we go play on the swing now Satine? I promise I'll keep my dress clean."

"Of course," Eight year old Satine smiled when her sister grabbed her hand and took off running towards the garden swing.

Satine watched the two girl running happily towards the swing, she followed them, aware that her presence was completely unnoticed. She watched them prop themselves up on the two seated swing and attempt to swing their legs to no avail. Just as Bo-Katan was about to complain a voice broke out.

"Bo, Satine!"

Satine froze and gripped her arms closer around herself trying to wake herself up, it was in that moment that she realised what this was, what Maul was doing. She tried to tell herself repeatedly that this was a dream, that she needed to wake up. Nothing worked, she was stuck watching this.

The two girls on the swing looked towards the voice with wide grins.

"Aldin!" Bo-Katan jumped down from the swings and ran towards her older brother.

She jumped into his arms and he scooped her up with ease. Satine watched as the blonde boy carried her back to the swing, he looked much older than he truly was but Satine knew from memory that he was sixteen when this event took place.

"What are you two doing out here?" He asked them with a smile, placing Bo back on the swing and crouching down beside them. "Are we hiding from mother again?"

His voice was friendly and warm and the sound pricked Satine's eyes. She had tried her best to banish these thoughts from her mind the past few years but Maul had other plans.

"No," Satine pouted.

"Yes," Bo-Katan laughed at Satine before looking back at her older brother. "Satine is worried that I'll get my dress dirty but I hate it, I want it to get dirty."

"If you get your dress dirty then I'll be the one to get in trouble for it," Satine grumbled, in fact she would make sure of it.

"Nobody's getting in trouble for anything," Aldin explained with a look in his eyes that Satine only noticed now, he clearly understood her meaning. "Just keep the dress clean until after lunch alright Bo, then you can destroy it to your hearts content."

"Really?" Bo-Katan's eyes lit up at the mere mention of the idea.

"Really," Aldin nodded.

"But not the ribbon," Satine protested. "Keep the ribbon."

"Why?" Bo asked her with a tilt of her head.

"Because I like it, I think it looks very beautiful in your hair," Satine pointed out. "If you don't want to keep it then I will."

Satine's breath wavered slightly at the mention. She did love that ribbon, it was a reminder of a perfect moment, something she had very few of, something that was now ruined, tarnished forever. She thought back to the yellow ribbon, it had become rather tattered over the years but Satine still kept it in her dresser drawers, at least she did. She wasn't sure where it was at this point, if it hadn't been destroyed during the siege that is.

Bo-Katan watched her with narrowed eyes contemplating the offer. She looked to Aldin who responded with a shrug.

"It is an awfully pretty ribbon," He remarked with a smile.

"Fine,you can have it when I'm finished with it," Bo-Katan smiled at her sister before turning to their brother. "Can you push us on the swing Aldin?" Bo-Katan pulled a wide eyed pouting face. "Please."

Aldin let out a sigh. "Alright but only for five minutes, then we need to be getting back."

He stood and began to push the young girls on the swings, listening to their happy laughs and watching their joyous smiles.

Satine couldn't take her eyes off him the entire time, he looked so happy and exactly how she had remembered him. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the tears roll down her cheeks.

When she opened her eyes she was in a completely different place. She now found herself outside the palace, in the courtyard, surrounded by people dressed in dark clothing. She glanced up towards the sky and noticed the dark, cloudy, grey colour of it. She moved through the swarm of people -nobody acknowledged her very existence- until she reached the front of the crowd. She recognised this immediately, almost exactly eight years after that day in the gardens.

She saw herself at sixteen, holding Bo-Katan's hand as their father placed a hand on the outside of the wooden coffin. A silent tear rolled down the cheek of the redhead while the blonde holding her hand bit her lip to keep from sobbing. The blonde was practically shaking in an attempt to keep her emotions at bay, she looked as though she would burst at any moment. Satine forced herself to look to the other side of the coffin, opposite where she and her sister stood. There she saw her mother with a black veil pulled over her face. A deep anger began to churn in the pits of Satine's stomach. She watched the woman with hate burning beneath the tears brimming in her eyes.

Satine closed her eyes again, wanting desperately to wake up from the nightmare she was currently trapped in. She knew the pain that came shortly after this day in reality. When she opened them again she was exactly where she had expected to be, her parents old room in the palace.

She was almost eighteen on this awful day. She saw herself sitting by her mother's dresser, looking in the mirror at the mascara running down her cheeks. She was holding that same yellow ribbon in her hand, it had become slightly frayed at the edges over the years but apart from that she had kept it in good condition. She was openly sobbing, trying to calm herself down but failing miserably.

Satine watched as the girl stood swiftly from the dresser and marched toward the table where a picture of their family sat, taken the day of her father's birthday. She picked it up in shakey hands and looked at her brothers smiling face, then her father's, how she missed them. When her eyes reached her sisters she let out a louder cry, crunching the yellow ribbon in her grasp. Once her eyes moved to her mother she dropped the frame from her weak grasp. Satine remembered the rage she had felt bubbling in her chest that day, vividly. She watched as the girl held a hand up to feel the hyperventilations she was experiencing.

Satine watched the girl drop to the ground, screaming with tears, trying to calm her breathing. She remembered clearly everything that she had felt that day. She could feel it now, the struggle of trying to simply breath, the feeling of light-headedness, the empty hole in her chest.

Satine felt her breathing become thinner, she soon found herself gasping for air that wasn't there. The tears blurred her vision so much that she could no longer see the girl crying, all she could see was darkness. She felt a sudden heat all around her and caught a glimpse of the bright flames surrounding her. She saw the flaming curtains around herself with no escape in sight, no way out. The heat was becoming unbearable, Satine was sure she would pass out at any moment. She could have sworn that she saw a pair of golden eyes through the flames but as soon as she blinked they disappeared. Just when she had expected to drop to the floor, darkness took over.

She sat up with a gasp, grasping at her neck for the air that finally entered her lungs. The burning sensation was slowly wearing away but Satine still shoved the blanket off herself in an attempt to escape the heat. She looked around in fear and saw the light flicker on. Ahsoka stood by the switch with a concerned expression before she moved towards Satine, taking a seat on her bed and reaching for her hand.

"It's okay, just breathe Satine," Ahsoka tried to calm her, noticing the flush on her pale skin. She wanted to give her the usual nightmare rundown 'you're safe now, it was only just a dream, it can't hurt you, it wasn't real', she knew none of that was true. It _was_ real, she _wasn't_ safe, it _could_ hurt her. She didn't want to lie to Satine at a time like this one.

Satine nodded and closed her eyes in an attempt to calm her breathing down. After a few breaths the burning had subsided but the memories remained. Satine cracked her eyes open to look at Ahsoka who was still watching her with deep concern.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ahsoka asked her giving her hand a small squeeze.

"No!" Satine answered quickly, hearing the harshness in her voice she added, "I'm sorry, I'm alright, I'm sorry for waking you."

"Don't worry about that," Ahsoka shook her head. "I'm fine, it's you I'm concerned about."

"I'm okay," Satine only received a skeptic look. "Please go back to sleep, I'll be fine."

Ahsoka didn't appear convinced so Satine decided to take a page out of Obi-Wan's book and lie for the benefit of everyone but herself.

"It's really nothing Ahsoka," Satine assured her. "Please I don't want to keep you awake any longer. Everything is fine, I promise."

Ahsoka waited a few moments before she caved, if Satine didn't want to talk about it she wasn't going to force her. She flicked the light off and shuffled back to her bed, ready for sleep. The Duchess may not want to talk now but Ahsoka certainly wouldn't forget this.

Satine rolled over onto her back and chose a spot on the ceiling to stare at, she knew any attempt to get any more sleep would prove to be pointless, she couldn't take another nightmare like that one. She knew that Maul had plenty of ammunition for making her miserable in her sleep. She guessed that he had been rationing it, there had been plenty of moments that he hadn't even gone near, moments featuring her mother and Obi-Wan to name a few.

Satine found herself becoming more and more angry at herself. She knew she shouldn't have attempted to sleep, she knew what would happen. She was just so exhausted, the day had been so much more tiring than she had been expecting. She hadn't planned to sleep that night, it just happened and now she was facing the consequences.

The night wore on and Satine didn't sleep for a single second of it, she was even afraid to blink, scared that exhaustion would take over and she wouldn't have the strength to open her eye back up. Perhaps due to that fear or due to her general tenacity, she was able to last the entire night without shedding a single tear or falling back asleep. She just hoped that kaffe would be enough to keep herself awake for the rest of the day.

* * * * *

"You know I don't believe I've ever seen you up this early before Anakin," Obi-Wan teased mildly when he caught sight of the man who had a black bag, similar to his own, slung over his shoulders.

"Obi-Wan," Anakin raised his eyebrows at him, these were the first words they had exchanged since the council meeting the day before. "Yeah well, I'm still on the baby sleep schedule."

Obi-Wan nodded as the two fell into step with each other, something they did easily after all their time spent together only they don't usually involve this much tension.

"I assume you have spoken to Padmé about this mission," Obi-Wan said to him while they continued towards the hanger that Mace had instructed them to meet at.

"I did, we commed last night," Anakin had decided to spend the night in his Temple quarters for the first time in weeks, he didn't want to disturb Padmé and the babies and he wanted to be close incase Obi-Wan needed him. "She made me promise to not come back until we fixed this," He smiled a little at his words. "She's pretty worried about Satine."

"She's not the only one," Obi-Wan pointed out, throwing them both into an uncomfortable silence.

Anakin had never been one to handle silence well, he liked to talk and couldn't stand being left to his own thoughts. Hence the reason his silence's with Obi-Wan rarely lasted very long. Unfortunately that meant that Anakin would often say the wrong thing out of desperation to avoid silence.

"Are you, uh," Anakin cleared his throat. "Still mad at us all for not telling you about Satine?"

Obi-Wan paused to think about it for a moment, was he mad? Anakin and everyone else were only doing what they were asked by Satine. He wasn't mad at Satine for the events that occurred although he did find it an easier emotion to feel, it was less vulnerable.

"No," He spoke after a short time. "No I'm not, you were only doing what was asked by you. It isn't your fault that if Satine didn't wish to see me."

"I think you're taking it out of context Obi-Wan," Anakin was almost afraid to speak up. "You never told me much but it's obvious that you two are important to each other, I can't imagine it being easy to see someone you care about after something like that happens," He risked a glance at Obi-Wan to gauge his reactions. "If something like that happened to me, I'd be terrified of seeing Padmé again."

Obi-Wan glanced to the side of himself where Anakin stood and remained silent. Anakin wasn't enjoying the silence they had jumped into and felt compelled to break it.

"I wasn't expecting you two to argue so much," Anakin told him as they entered the hanger.

"It's a difficult situation Anakin," Obi-Wan explained, crossing his arms behind his back.

"I know, I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like but..." He trailed off, unsure of how to continue this in a way that didn't offend Obi-Wan. "You... I don't know," He shrugged. "The way you spoke about her when you thought she was gone forever, I just didn't expect anger to be your first instinct."

"It's more complicated than that Anakin," Obi-Wan wanted to drop the topic altogether. "Can we please discuss this another time."

From all his years of knowing Obi-Wan, he knew this to be code for 'I will never again come even remotely close to discussing this topic with you Anakin'. He wasn't particularly happy about it, but he knew to accept it, perhaps he could learn something from Satine.

The two men continued the walk in silence, this silence was one that Anakin was content with leaving uninterrupted. He didn't want to continue this conversation if it would lead to an argument and history dictated that would be the case.

They spotted the ship and circled it until they reached the landing ramp. Everything seemed to be in order, the only thing they hadn't been expecting was for Quinlan Vos to be leaning casually against the post of the landing ramp.

"Vos?" Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at him. "What are you doing here?"

Anakin narrowed his eyes at his brothers old friend, he remembered all the stories he had heard about the trouble Vos had gotten them into when they were younger. Vos was a few years older than Obi-Wan but that certainly never played into his levels of maturity, Obi-Wan was the one to always get them out of danger.

"Obes," Quinlan smiled. "Good to see ya," He pushed himself away from the beam he was leaning against and moved towards the two men. "Windu commed me yesterday, he said you might need my help with this mission."

"I doubt we'd need your help," Anakin commented quietly to himself with a mild scowl.

"I'd love nothing more than to see you find a presumably fictional planet all by yourself Anakin," Vos grinned at him before turning his attentions back to Obi-Wan. "So how are you keeping?"

"How much has Master Windu told you?" Obi-Wan asked him as they ascended the ramp and entered the lounge of the ship.

"All he said was that you needed help in finding a Sith planet and to meet you all here at 0600 hours on the dot," Vos threw himself down onto the cushioned bench and propped his boots up on the table beside it.

"Vos get your boots off the table," Obi-Wan ordered disapprovingly before shoving them off, taking a seat across from him. "We are looking for a crystal from the Geiso caves."

Vos squinted. "The kids book?"

"As it turns out there is far more fact in those fictional tales than we knew," Obi-Wan nodded along to the pause that arouse before continuing. "I assume Mace explained the rest."

"You mean the part about your Duchess?" Vos tilted his head with a look that balanced between question and concern. "About the revenge murder?"

Obi-Wan stiffened a bit at his words. "She is not _my Duchess_ , but yes the..." Obi-Wan paused, not sure how else to phrase it. "Revenge murder."

Anakin was taking the time to glare at Vos although he paid it no mind. Anakin couldn't believe Vos could be this terrible at reading the room especially considering he was gifted with the force. He had always thought _he_ was terrible at social cues but Vos gave him confidence in his own abilities.

Vos nodded a few times. "So where is your Duchess anyway?" Vos asked. "Ol' Windu said to be here on the dot, made a big show of it too."

"I'm sure they're doing something important Vos," Obi-Wan pointed out, brushing over the 'your Duchess' comment, he knew Vos wouldn't listen to any corrections, he would only be wasting his breath. "Just be patient, it is a virtue after all."

"Yeah me and that word don't really see eye to eye," Vos stated as he rolled his eyes. "Virtue or not."

Luckily for Vos, moments later footsteps could be heard shuffling up the landing ramp.

"It sounds as though the cavalry has arrived," Vos nodded in the direction of the doorway.

Mace entered first with the stoic and professional look that he always seemed to wear. He was tailed by Ahsoka, Satine and Rex.

"Good to see you're all here already," Mace commented moving towards the centre of the room.

Anakin scanned the so called 'cavalry' and noticed they were missing a few members of their team. His eyes narrowed and he turned to Mace who didn't seem to notice the fact that they were missing three crewmembers.

"Master," Anakin addressed him first, trying his best to sound respectful, he knew he needed to be on his best behaviour during this mission. The last thing Obi-Wan needed was to mediate tension between Anakin and anyone else. "Where are Master Secura, Commander Cody and Commander Bly?"

Mace let out a sigh when Anakin asked the question, the one he had been dreading. He knew that they wouldn't like this but it wasn't like they had much of a choice.

"They're on their way," He informed Anakin. "I ran into them on my way over here, I instructed them to go and retrieve Maul from his cell and bring him here."

Anakin and Obi-Wan had the same immediate reaction to the news. They both whipped their heads in his direction and their eyes looked as though they might pop out of their sockets.

"What?" The two asked simultaneously, neither of them were even able to laugh at their synchronisation.

Mace looked fully unimpressed by their theatrics, he was beginning to regret his decision to purposefully lock himself on a ship with what he had come to know as the trouble brewing trio, a murder hell bent on revenge and Quinlan Vos. At least he had Aayla, she seemed to be one of the only rational people he had thought to bring. Mace shook his head at them with narrowed eyes and a sigh.

"I sent them to retrieve Maul," Mace repeated. "We will need him once we get to the caves."

Obi-Wan relaxed a bit at his explanation, it did make sense to him but he still felt uneasy at the idea of Maul being on board.

Mace, upon noticing the concern on Obi-Wan's face, relaxed his features and took on a more soothing tone, still rather cold but a slight improvement.

"The closer he is in proximity to the Duchess has no effect on his abilities," Mace explained. "His control over her dreams will stay the same whether he's on this ship or not."

The faces around him still remained at the same level of concern. Mace sighed again and tried to rephrase his argument again in his brain so that it caused less unease in those around him.

"We don't know how far away this planet will be or how long it will take to get our hands on the crystal," Mace told Obi-Wan. "It wouldn't be a good use of our time to come all the way back here just to pick Maul up."

Obi-Wan knew he was right, he wished that weren't the case but he nodded in agreement with Mace. The rational side of his brain having won this argument.

"You're right," Obi-Wan conceded.

He again found himself feeling self conscious about his sudden outburst no matter how small it may be. He turned his head to look at those around him and found Satine watching him with shaking eyes. It was a miniscule detail, one that was hardly noticeable to most but Obi-Wan knew exactly what her eyes looked like. He knew what would make them lighten and darken and he knew what would make them quiver. Normally that reaction would be accompanied by tears but Obi-Wan could sense that these weren't accompanied by emotion. It was exhaustion, the strain that was now becoming apparent to him, Satine was forcing herself to stay as alert as possible.

Obi-Wan was no longer paying attention to the room or those around him. Somewhere in the back of his head he registered a conversation between Mace and Aayla who had just arrived. He heard her say something about Maul being secure but then again he wasn't exactly listening. His attention returned to Mace once his voice rose to address the room.

"We'll be taking off in a few moments," Mace explained. "Once we arrive on Dathomir some of us will have to stay behind and keep an eye on Maul."

Mace continued to speak but Obi-Wan found himself not paying full attention, he was more concerned with Satine. He remembered what he had been told the day before, Maul had control over her dreams. He could show her any horrible memory or thought that he wanted to, just the idea made Obi-Wan feel sick to his stomach. Obi-Wan was left with one question that he feared would go unanswered; what had Satine dreamt of?

Once the older Jedi was finished speaking, Obi-Wan felt his attentions return to the room around him. Anakin, Ahsoka and Rex were on their way into the cockpit while everyone else settled into a seat. Obi-Wan leaned forward in his chair while everyone was moving around him, figuring that less attention would be called to him.

"Satine," He watched her head turn to him with expectantly raised eyebrows. "A moment?"

The blonde woman nodded and stood from her seat, following him towards the door.

Anakin turned his head over his shoulder to watch Obi-Wan and Satine leave the room. He tried to make his espionage as subtle as possible but it had never been a strong point of his. He hoped that Obi-Wan was dragging her away so that they may talk freely, away from prying eyes such as his own. He hoped they would fix the tension and clear everything up so that they might be happy. He hoped plenty of things but he knew that the chances of his hopes coming true were slim to none. He knew his master and more to the point he knew his master was the galaxy's largest fool when it came to matters of the heart, Satine was right in that regard, he had to agree.

The two stood just outside the doorway, closer than either would have liked in the cramped hallway. Up this close it was easy for Obi-Wan to see how tired the Duchess was, his worry only grew from there.

Satine looked at him blankly, trying her best to ignore his close proximity. Her heart had been sitting in a pit in her stomach since the day before and she was beginning to feel the pains where it sat.

A silence stretched out, Satine was beginning to tire of them. They were prolonged, uncomfortable and left all parties afraid to make a sound. That was until someone decided to break it, which was almost always with a horrible opening, this case was no exception.

"I wanted to talk to you," Obi-Wan stated the obvious.

"I figured as much," Satine responded with that same quirked brow she would often wear.

Obi-Wan nodded in obvious discomfort. Satine simply waited for him to speak again.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked her.

Satine forced herself to look confused at his question while her heart lifted from the pits of her stomach to assault her chest. She wondered if he knew about her nightmares, he couldn't, could he? Surely she had been doing a good job at hiding her fatigue, nobody else had even mentioned it.

"I slept fine," She stated adamantly. "Why do you ask?"

"You look rather exhausted," Obi-Wan responded honestly, in retrospect it was not the best idea for the moment.

"Do I?" Satine asked with irritation. No matter how true it was, it was still insulating to hear. "Well that's terribly kind of you," She hissed sarcastically. She would often resort to anger when she wanted to cover something up.

"No, Satine I didn't mean to-"

"I see your charm is still very much intact," She commented while her eyelids dropped to form a scowl. "Do you use that line on all the women you encounter?"

"Satine," Obi-Wan lowered his voice. "You know very well that you are taking my words out of context."

Satine huffed at him. "I slept fine, I apologise if my appearance doesn't convey that."

She turned to leave but was halted by an arm landing on the wall beside her, trapping her away from the door. She moved her head back to Obi-Wan who was standing closer to her than he had been only moments earlier. She cursed the small flutter in her stomach at his closeness and the concern in his eye, she couldn't, no matter how much she wanted to.

Obi-Wan was glad that he had the sense to leave the room for this conversation, he didn't particularly want to hear anyone's opinions or remarks at the conversation. He looked her directly in the eye and tried to keep his eyes from travelling down to her lips.

"Don't lie to me Satine," The words came out in a more pleading tone than he had expected.

Satine also didn't expect such softly spoken words from him, her own expression softened just at the sound. For one singular moment all felt right, everything that happened to her was gone from her mind, it melted away and she felt at peace. Her thoughts weren't on the demon hiding in her mind but on the man in front of her, the man she loved more than anything. However moments don't last forever, it was gone almost as quickly as it had appeared.

"I promise you that everything is fine Obi-Wan," Satine was pleasantly surprised at how convincing she sounded, she almost started to believe herself.

Obi-Wan wanted to press more for answers, he hated seeing her like this. All he wanted was for her to be okay, to live the life he knew she deserved. He wanted to live that life with her, to make her happy yet no matter his intentions he always managed to make things worse. Before he even had the chance to breath another word she was pushing past his arm and returning to the room.

It was easy for Satine to escape from Obi-Wan's questioning, his arm was pressed very gently against the wall and wasn't hard to move. As she walked away from him Satine felt all the contradictory thoughts of her brain chasing each other around in circles.

_Just talk to him. Don't talk to him. He'll understand. How could he ever possibly understand? He loves you. He lied to you._

She knew his intentions were good, they always were... weren't they? The matter of Ahsoka Tano hung in her brain. He acted so guilty, she wondered if his intentions weren't always the best like she had previously thought. He seemed consumed with regret like the rest of the council when the matter was brought up.

Satine took a seat beside Aayla and looked down at her lap. She wanted to talk to him about it all, she truly did. She bit on her lip when she heard the ship come to life and felt it lift off the ground. She couldn't tell him, she just couldn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah like I said, fudging with timelines. Also the burning red room curtain thing is a reference to the world Aurora and Henry visit in OUAT just in case anyone picked up on that. I needed a dream world situation and that provided a nice torturous one.
> 
> I hope you liked it and if you're wondering what's happening with Satine's mother don't worry, all will be revealed in due time.
> 
> Thank you for reading, please make sure to comment because I love reading those (if you want, no pressure)


	11. Messages In Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team arrive on Dathomir and run into an old friend. Ahsoka receives a call from Lux.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... So it's been awhile. Sorry about that, there has been so much crazy stuff going on recently and I've fallen into a bit of a writers block on top of that. The next chapter should be up this Sunday, it might take another week though since I've got a lot of other work to catch up on.  
> Anyways, I'm really sorry it took so long. This chapter is a little longer than my other ones so hopefully that makes up for it being super late.

Anakin set the ship down on the planet, noticing how desolate it looked in the parts that weren't fully consumed by fog. He powered the ship down, reaching across Rex to flick a few switches. His hands landed on his hips and he let out a sigh.

"I miss the Twilight," He grumbled to himself before spinning on his heel and exiting the cockpit, followed closely by Rex and Ahsoka.

He looked around the room and noticed that Mace had already risen to his feet and was moving towards the landing ramp.

"Wait a second," Vos halted him with his words. "What does this crystal even look like?" Vos squinted. "Like a kyber crystal or a healing one?"

"The Duchess will know," Mace nodded in Satine's direction.

Satine's head shot up from where she had been staring at her lap once she heard her name mentioned. Her eyebrow rose in question at Mace's words.

"I will?" She asked him with a curious lilt in her voice. Hearing it out loud she noted that she sounded much younger than she was, she almost laughed at the naivety in her voice.

"You will," Mace nodded. "After all it is tied to your soul."

"So she'll sense it?" Anakin asked Mace as he joined him by the ramp, hitting the console to lower it. "Like a Jedi?"

The idea of the Duchess sensing something like a Jedi seemed funny to Anakin but he couldn't understand why. The idea of a Mandalorian Jedi seemed hilarious to him in general given the history between the two.

"Essentially," Mace squinted trying to figure out how to best explain this to Anakin while they exited the ship. "Although I can't be sure, it's not like we've tested this theory out before."

Obi-Wan who had been trailing after the two felt his heart sink at the conversation ahead of him. The reminder that nothing was certain, finding the crystal, finding the caves, any of it even working, it was all theoretical.

Anakin looked behind himself and glanced at Satine who was walking in silence beside Quinlan Vos. He was about to ask her question when he felt something radiating from her, he turned back around to look at the path ahead and allowed himself a moment to search her feelings. The Duchess was very well guarded but after a few tries he succeeded in breaking down her barriers just enough to catch a glimpse. He wasn't too surprised by his findings at first, she was on edge, that much was clear by the way she held herself when she walked. He continued searching until he came across something that gave him pause, she was exhausted. He turned his head back for another quick glance and he finally took notice of her gait, now that he knew what he was looking for, he could clearly see the desperate need she had to collapse at any moment. He looked back to Mace and slowed his step down slightly.

"One second," He muttered to Mace before slowing down to walk beside the Duchess.

Satine almost hadn't noticed his presence at all, too focused on the trees before her as a way of keeping her eyes open. She had been functioning just fine before they reached the Temple, she had lasted days without sleep and none of the signs were showing. It was that one taste of slumber that ruined it for her, now that her body remembered how it felt to be allowed to rest, it wanted more, needed more. She refused to grant that wish. It was only when the Jedi beside her cleared his throat that she turned her head to look up at him.

"Master Skywalker," She tried to force a smile but the strain showed on her face.

"Duchess," Anakin nodded in her direction before looking back in front of them.

If Anakin learned one thing from his very limited interactions with the Duchess, it was that he should _never_ engage in a verbal battle with the woman. He didn't want to say anything that could make her angry with him, so letting her know that he was walking by her side because she looked weak didn't seem like the best idea. He wanted to break the silence with something other than 'if you collapse at least I'm prepared' but his follow up wasn't exactly a work of art. In Anakin's defense, he realised then that he didn't really know much about the Duchess. He knew what Obi-Wan and Padmé had told him, but Satine and himself had never really spoken to each other in casual conversation.

"So I hear that the food on Mandalore is pretty good," Anakin immediately wished he could slap himself up the back of his head.

Satine looked at him with an arched brow while a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. From what she had seen from Anakin over the years she had expected him to be more equipped for conversation.

"It is," Satine remarked. "Although I doubt many Coruscanti citizens would enjoy it."

Anakin was slightly surprised that she hadn't scoffed at him for his chosen topic of conversation given the dire situation they were in. He didn't know why he had expected such a response since the woman in question had never given him any reason to think she would be rude to him.

"Why is that?" He asked, surprising himself that he actually was curious for the answer.

"Because they all have very incredibly weak tastes," Satine smirked at him. "Mandalorian food has strong, overpowering flavours, very strong spices that I don't think they could handle."

"I see your food very clearly reflects your people," Anakin told her with a slight smile.

"Spicy?" Satine asked him jokingly.

"Strong," Anakin said in a light laugh that came out as more of an exhale.

Satine smiled, part of it was due to the compliment of her people, but another part was in realisation that she had forgotten everything that ailed her for just a few seconds. She was thankful that Anakin had provided her with that much needed distraction but she knew she couldn't tell him that, she needed him to think she was perfectly fine otherwise her ruse was all for nothing.

"Padmé has never been a fan of our cuisine," Satine laughed a little when she recalled the memory of her friend spitting out a mouthful of stew in shock at how much it burned her throat. "Once, when she was on Mandalore we had dinner, and she tried tiingilar, a spicy stew. She had not expected it to be as spicy as it was, in her defense I did forget to warn her. It ended up being sprayed across the table, it was quite hilarious but she was so embarrassed, afraid that she had offended me."

"Clearly that wasn't the case," Anakin joined in on the laugh. Though she was unaware, Satine had just given Anakin a great idea for what to make Padmé when he got back. "I think I might need that recipe when we all return to Coruscant."

A small silence began so, Anakin being Anakin, he decided to put an end to it, this time with a more well thought out line.

"Can you sense anything?" Anakin asked her. "With the crystal?"

Satine narrowed her eyes in thought, she wasn't a Jedi, none of this made much sense to her.

"I don't know," Satine finally settled on. "I have gut instincts but I always get those. What does it feel like to sense something for a Jedi?"

It dawned on Satine then how little she actually knew of the force. During her time with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon she had heard the definition of the force millions of times but they never explained to her what it felt like to be connected to it and to feel it guiding you, not in specific terms anyway.

"It's kind of hard to explain," Anakin's face scrunched while he tried to find a way to phrase it. "It's not like a gut instinct, it's..." He trailed off and scratched the back of his neck. "It's like there's a rope wrapped around you that's tugging you in a certain direction. That's probably the most basic way to describe it."

"Thnak you for keeping things basic for me," Satine smirked at Anakin's instant panic.

"No I didn't mean to offend y-" He let out a sigh at the sight of her smile. "You were kidding."

"Very observant Master Skywalker," Satine smiled.

"I try," He joked with a smile of his own. The Duchess was turning out to be a pleasant surprise.

Satine looked over at him and was about to respond when she heard something rustling in the trees above her. She stopped walking and looked up but found nothing. She turned to face forward only to notice that Obi-Wan and Mace had also stopped walking and were looking around with caution. She spun around when she heard another rustle behind her.

Ahsoka grabbed her lightsabers from her waist and held them at the ready but did not activate them, she didn't know what was out there and she didn't want to call more attention to where they stood. She scanned the area but the fog proved to be a bigger problem than anticipated. She was left to rely on sound, thanking her montrals for her superior sense of hearing.

Anakin and Mace reached for their sabers too while Aayla glanced back in the direction of the ship, a minor panic flashing through her. She wondered if it was a bad idea to leave Cody and Bly alone to guard Maul. He was locked up and there really was no way out but she couldn't help her worry for them. Almost a minute had passed and there were no sounds present.

"Everyone else heard that right?" Ahsoka asked quietly, afraid she was imagining things.

"Must have been a bird or something," Anakin shrugged, clipping his lightsaber back onto his belt.

Mace did the same, unable to ignore the fact that the had all become so paranoid due to the war. The slightest sound and they were pulling out their weapons even when the force showed no hints of danger. It was an unsettling thought, one he would rather forget.

Vos had only taken one step forward when he felt the presence of something else in the force, something that definitely wasn't a bird.

"Hold on!" He hissed at everyone, halting all of their movements. "There's something else out there."

His hand had only just reached his hip when a figure jumped down from the trees and two bright red blades interlocked at his neck, ready to slice through the skin at any moment.

The figure in question was wearing a black cloak, the hood was pulled over her head. It took Obi-Wan a second to register who it was based on the curved lightsaber hilts and the force signature that he had somehow managed not to notice. It was only when her hood fell back to reveal her pale skin and bald head that he addressed her.

"Ventress," Obi-Wan spoke unsure whether or not it was a good thing that she was here.

"Obi-Wan," Ventress replied, a teasing lilt in her tone. "You sound surprised."

Obi-Wan placed a hand on Mace's forearm momentarily, a silent indication that he could relax, although Mace was skeptical.

"You could say that," Obi-Wan told her. "I thought you were on Coruscant."

"I've been a lot of places," Ventress shrugged. "Now how about you tell me what you're all doing on Dathomir before your friend here loses his head," She glanced back at Vos. "Which would be a shame, he's not half bad looking."

"Thanks," Vos smirked. "You're not so bad yourself," He paused. "You know, minus the threat of decapitation."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes while Ahsoka faked a gag, he almost laughed at her display but quickly looked away when she caught him watching her. Obi-Wan could tell that Ventress had no real intentions of following through on her threat but he still wanted to get off this planet as soon as possible.

"We're looking for something," Obi-Wan explained. "Perhaps you might have seen it."

Ventress raised an eyebrow at him while she took in the scene around her. She looked back at Vos who didn't seem to think much of having two lightsabers so close to his neck.

"Are you asking for my help?" Ventress asked with narrowed eyes.

"Wouldn't be the first time," Obi-Wan reminded her, remembering the time she'd saved him from Maul and Savage.

Ventress contemplated that thought for a moment before she noticed Mace and Anakin beside him.

"And how do I know you won't just arrest me as soon as I let handsome here free?" She asked in a patronising tone, clearly insulting Vos.

"You're making me blush," Vos murmured, playing along with her insult.

"Because we're not here for you," Obi-Wan told her. "We don't have any reason to want to lock you up right now."

"Speak for yourself," Anakin grumbled.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan hissed.

Ventress raised an eyebrow at Obi-Wan as if to say 'see' in a condescending tone.

"I'm sure Skywalker and his Captain of copies would be perfectly fine with letting me go," She commented sarcastically with an eye roll.

"Watch it," Anakin glared at her, angered at her way of describing Rex.

"If you help us find what we're looking for, then we will leave here and leave you be," Obi-Wan told her. "For now, you have nothing to worry about, we're not here to fight."

Ventress once again took a moment to contemplate his offer before she gave her answer. His emphasis on the 'for now' made it very clear that this was not an amunity of any kind, but it might be her best option. There was no way she could take them all on her own even if she wanted to.

"Okay, you've got yourself a deal," She pulled her lightsabers away from Vos' neck only to move them back when he let out a sigh of relief. "But if anyone tries anything they lose a limb."

Vos watched her as she moved her sabers away from his neck, letting them face downwards, by her side. They still remained ignited but at least they were no longer threatening his throat.

"Now what exactly are you Jedi looking for on Dathomir?" She scanned the small crowd around her when she noticed Satine for the first time. "And the plot thickens."

Obi-Wan watched Asajj clip her lightsabers back onto her belt as she strode towards Satine. She stepped towards her only for Anakin to slide himself in front of Satine, blocking her away from Ventress.

"Please, Skywalker," Ventress rolled her eyes at him and the glare he wore. Perhaps if he were older she would find it more menacing but as things stood he looked very much like a child throwing a tantrum. "If I planned on hurting her I would have done it already."

"Call me crazy but that's not exactly reassuring," Anakin looked like he was ready to grab his lightsaber and fight off the Dathomirian woman before him at any given moment.

Satine side stepped Anakin to look at Ventress with the cool look of complete neutrality she had perfected over the years. Being a politician she had to master the ability the look completely unbothered when someone around her said something stupid, which happened more often than you would expect of government officials. This had often been problematic for Satine considering how passionate a person was, remaining impassive was always a trial.

"Well, well, well," Ventress laughed lightly, looking the blonde up and down. "I thought you were dead."

Satine wanted to flinch at her words but fought against it. Instead she looked the woman directly in the eyes which she found to be a cloudy blue, almost grey.

"It would appear that you are mistaken," She spoke in the voice of a perfect diplomat, something she hadn't used in a very long time.

Ventress continued to watch her, pouring over every excruciating detail of the Duchess. She didn't know if she was even looking for something in particular or if she just wanted to make the blonde flinch. Her search was promptly interrupted when Obi-Wan cleared his throat, drawing her attention towards him. Her displeasure was clear as a scowl settled on her face. Obi-Wan didn't seem to care.

"We're looking for a crystal," Obi-Wan told Ventress with a step towards her.

"A crystal?" Ventress turned her attention away from the Duchess. "I didn't know you were the jewellery type Kenobi."

Vos let out a laugh, not even bothering to hide it like Anakin had. Obi-Wan threw Quinlan a quick glare before looking at Ventress with an unimpressed frown.

"Hilarious as always," Obi-Wan commented. "Now have you come across anything?"

"I've come across a lot of stuff," Ventress made a show of their surroundings. "It is a large planet after all, so you'll have to be more specific than that Obi-Wan."

Something in the way she said his name rubbed Satine the wrong way. There was a sultry lilt hidden -not so secretly- in her tone.

"A small blue crystal," Mace jumped in with the explanation since he and Ahsoka were the most informed on the topic. "A deep blue."

Ventress rolled her eyes at his explanation. Small and blue, did she look like a child to him?

"Yes, the Geiso crystal I'm well aware," She sounded bored with her words, dropping a hand to rest on her hip.

A few jaws around her cracked open in shock at her understanding of the situation at hand. A small part of Ventress felt insulted by the notion that she wouldn't figure it out, they weren't exactly what she'd call subtle.

Satine froze when the former Sith made eye contact with her again. She felt naked with her watching, bare and completely exposed. She felt that often with the idea of Maul constantly in her mind. Something about Ventress' gaze felt different to that, this woman wasn't trying to torture her -at least not to Satine's knowledge- and instead appeared to be curious about her. Satine could handle curious, curious was oaky, no matter how strange it felt, it was a welcome change of pace.

"H-how?" Obi-Wan fumbled with words, recently he was finding it more and more difficult to construct even a singular sentence. "What- who said anything about-"

"I'm not as dumb as you seem to think Obi-Wan," Ventress inclined her head in Satine's direction. "The once dead Duchess, a blue crystal, half the Jedi order, it wasn't exactly a difficult one to figure out."

"How do you know of the crystal?" Satine spoke up in question. "I thought it was a story read to the younglings."

"Which I once was, well, sort of," Ventress responded. The circumstances involved in her past with the Jedi was complicated to say the least. Her late master had made sure that she heard the same stories as the younglings even though she was older and away from the Temple almost constantly. She smiled a little at the way the Duchess' eyebrows shot up, only to relax seconds later. "Surprised?"

Satine quirked an eyebrow at her. "Certainly not as much as I would like to be."

Ventress considered her for a moment. She simply could not figure this woman out. It should be easy, she was a Mandalorian, they were practically known amongst force sensitives for their strong emotions and loud thoughts.

"Ventress the crystal," Obi-Wan reminded her for what felt like the billionth time.

"We'll get to it eventually Kenobi, calm that little head of yours," Ventress glared at him before returning her eyes to Satine, stepping closer to the blonde. "First off, I have to say, I am curious," She squinted at Satine with a smirk. "Who would want to stop you from dying so badly and why would they in their right minds give such an important piece of the puzzle to Mother Talzin?"

Obi-Wan was about to explain everything to her when Satine beat him to the punch.

"I wouldn't exactly say they wanted me alive," Satine commented. "More so they wanted to use me as a tool in revenge for the second time around. And I don't think they were ever in their right mind."

"Revenge?" Ventress tilted her head while all the pieces fit together in her mind. Her eyes drifted down towards her feet when it all suddenly clicked together. She took a step back from the Duchess while her head snapped in Obi-Wan's direction. In a shocked laugh she commented, "Obi-Wan, I had no idea you were kriffing a Duchess."

If the circumstances had been different, Anakin might not have hidden his laughter and bitten it down. He was doing a good job at it until he saw the eyes bulging from his master's head. A tiny laugh escaped his lips but nobody was paying him any mind.

"Excuse me?" Satine asked in outrage, a red flush creeping it's way over her face.

"What?" Obi-Wan asked her in a louder voice than he intended. "How in the hells did you get _that_ from revenge?"

Satine felt a jolt of nger surge in her stomach. Sure the situation was an uncomfortable one, but did he have to sound so repulsed by the mention of any intimacy between the two. Maul had killed her due to his feelings towards her and yet, he still couldn't seem to admit those feelings to her. Suddenly a thought occurred to her, a horrible one, an awful one that made her feel positively sick. Perhaps the reason he hadn't admitted his feelings to her was because he no longer felt them. She knew it was ridiculous, he made it clear that he cared for her. Still it didn't exactly sit right with her.

"There's only one person I know that would trust Mother Talzin with something that valuable who was also hell bent on getting revenge, and that's Maul," Ventress told him with another glance towards Satine. "So he clearly decided to come after your lover."

"I am not his lover," Satine fired back in a quiet but deadly hiss, frankly insulted by the term. Her realionship with Obi-Wan was plenty more than that, _she_ was plenty more than that.

Ventress ignored her and continued on with her words to Obi-Wan.

"I'm just curious as to how he found out about your little paramour," She continued with the degrading names, angering Satine increasingly with each comment. "Even Dooku was unaware of your relationship, otherwise he would have certainly used your mistress as a bargaining chip."

"I have a name!" Satine finally snapped. She'd had enough, first she'd been simply used by Maul, diminishing her to nothing, now she was being reduced to something so insultingly one dimensional. "I am not a bargaining chip and I am not just the carnal possession of some man, contrary to popular belief!"

Satine completely ignored the looks she received from the Jedi around her and continued to stare down Ventress. Her words were laced with venom and she was certain that if she clenched her fists any more her nails would break through the skin.

Obi-Wan felt broken at her words, and he wondered how many times he could feel such a way before he reached his true breaking point, the point that could never worsen. The loss of one's own identity, shrouded in the shadow of another. It was a horrible thought, especially since he knew that she had accomplished so much good for her people, remarkable things that continued to be trampled on as if they didn't matter. All because of Maul.

"Ventress just give us the crystal," Ahsoka was growing tired of the games of psychological run-around, it exhausted her to no end.

"Oh I don't have it," She replied innocently.

"What?" Anakin's brows furrowed in confusion. "But you just said-"

"I _did_ have it," She cut him off. "I sold it."

"I'm sorry, you _sold it_?" Anakin practically shrieked back at her.

"Are you hard of hearing Skywalker?" Ventress scowled at him. "Yes, I sold it."

"Why would you sell something like that if you knew how valuable it was?" Mace asked her, fighting the temptation to hold the bridge of his nose and sigh.

"I didn't know whose soul was tethered to it and frankly, I did not care," She responded. "It was a pretty stone that some fool paid a hefty sum for."

Frustration was in no short supply amongst everyone. It seemed that everywhere they turned they would only be given more false hope.

"And that fool is?" Aayla asked, tossing her lekku over her shoulder.

"Some man from Stewjon," She shrugged. "The Prince's aid. His highness was apparently looking for a stone to fit an engagement ring."

"And this man was a Stewjoni aid?" Anakin asked. "Did he give you any contact information or maybe you have a holo? Something we could use to identify him?"

"I don't have a holo but I did get his last name," Ventress watched Anakin in careful contemplation before speaking, she wanted to drag it out for as long as possible. "Marloni."

Obi-Wan made eye contact with Anakin and the two exchanged silent words. They didn't need the force to understand each other in that moment or come to the same agreement.

"Well then," Anakin shrugged. "I guess we're going to Stewjon."

Ventress took a step back from them and let both her hands fall on her hips.

"Now," She let out an exasperated sigh. "Are we done here?"

"We are," Obi-Wan nodded to her. "Thank you."

"Please, feel free to drop by anytime," She rolled her eyes sarcastically before dropping them on Vos with a wink.

He responded with a quirked eyebrow and a smirk. Satine rolled her eyes at the display but a small part of her found it amusing.

Within a matter of seconds, Ventress had jumped into the trees above and disappeared. Vos watched her go with a dopey look on his face that Satine recognised instantaneously. She remembered when Obi-Wan would look at her like that, back before he'd learned to construct those impenetrable walls of his. Satine smiled at Vos' terribly concealed adoration of the woman.

"So are all Jedi notorious flirts, because it seems to be a recurring theme amongst you," The corners of her lips turned upwards with the lightest hint of mischief.

Obi-Wan's heart almost stopped at the sight of her. Her smile had always had that effect on him but it had been so long since he'd seen it that it was just like the first time. Her eyes seemed brighter too, like she'd pushed aside all her troubles for just a moment to allow herself a moment of reprieve. He wanted to kiss her then and there. But he didn't, no surprise to himself on that count.

"Well the way I look at it is this?" Vos explained as he started to walk backwards in the direction of the ship. "Women tend to want what they can't have."

"Do we now?" Satine asked him while they all made their way back towards the ship. "I had no idea."

Obi-Wan's smile grew at the sarcasm in her voice, it was one of her greatest tools after all. God's, how he missed her.

"You do," Vos repeated. "I'll never understand it, why go after something you can never have?"

"Perhaps we like to torture ourselves," It was only somewhat sarcastic, she often wondered sometimes if she did purposely try to cause herself pain. "Is that not part of the appeal?" Satine queried. "To know that the object of your desire will forever remain unattainable, forbidden fruit so to speak."

"Exactly," Vos let out a short laugh as he almost fell backwards over a rock. "Just labelling it as forbidden instantly makes it more attractive."

"That is the intention I presume," Satine stifled a laugh when Vos walked his head straight into a low hanging branch. "But please do finish your explanation."

"Right," Vos pointed his fingers at her for emphasis. "So we Jedi were the forbidden fruit, the women couldn't have us but that only made them want us more."

"I must say, your understanding of women is remarkable," Satine only found it more humourous that Vos hadn't picked up on the backhand to her compliments.

Vos smiled at her, the same smile that Obi-Wan recognised from whenever Vos would attempt to hit on other women during their padawan days. He felt a pang of momentary jealousy in his gut before shaking it off.

"Anyway," He continued with a grin. "Just knowing that we're wanted that much more makes us want to flirt with them a little."

"I see," Satine nodded with a narrowing of her eyes as if she were heavily contemplating what Quinlan had said. "So you mean to say that you let the exorbitant amount of power you have over women go to your head and turn you into a fool who has to drag his drooling jaw along the floor with him?"

Anakin laughed at the tease. He heard Ahsoka and Rex do the same although they covered it better than he did. He also could have sworn he saw a hint of a smirk on Mace's face.

"Not exactly what I was going for," Vos turned towards the ship and pressed the keypad to allow them entrance.

The entry ramp lowered with a hiss and Satine turned to Vos before she entered.

"I would love to hear some of your other opinions on women another time," Satine responded with another healthy dose of sarcasm.

Vos let out a chuckle at her words before reaching for her hand and pressing a kiss upon it, in what Satine guessed was an attempt at chivalry.

"M'lady," He let go of her hand with a grin, watching as she rolled her eyes and entered the ship.

Obi-Wan felt the jealousy roll around his stomach again only this time it was accompanied by the urge to laugh at it all. He knew Satine was in no way interested in Quinlan so watching him flirt shamelessly with her was humorous in it's own way.

Quinlan turned back to everyone else with a lopsided grin.

"Perfect example of forbidden fruit," He joked.

"Please try it," Obi-Wan found himself saying much to the surprise of him and everyone else.

"I'm sorry what?" Vos laughed. "You want me to hit on your woman?"

"Satine is not _my_ woman," Obi-Wan began.

Anakin rolled his eyes at that statement. It might have been a tad bit more believable if Maul hadn't murdered her simply due to their feelings for each other. It would never cease to amaze Anakin how a man as intelligent as Obi-Wan couldn't recognise when to accept defeat and just admit to everyone that he was madly in love with this woman.

"And no, I don't particularly want to see that, I know how terrible some of your lines are," Obi-Wan clarified. "I simply never tire of seeing a woman with Satine's level of wit reject a man."

"You sure that's the only reason you like seeing her reject other men?" Anakin asked with a smirk.

Obi-Wan glared at him before marching his way up the boarding ramp to find Satine sitting with Cody in the lounge.

Satine was about to open her mouth to speak when the commlink on the table in front of her began to beep. She had only just turned her attention to it when Ahsoka grabbed it from the table and answered the call.

A boy with shaggy hair and a smile lit up in blue as the holoprojector came to life. Satine recognised him instantly as her nephew's friend, Sentor Bonteri.

"Ahsoka ho-"

"Did you find anything?" She interrupted the boy.

Lux narrowed his eyes at her and let out something between a laugh and a sigh.

"It's nice to see you too Ahsoka, I'm fine thanks for asking, all is well here," He continued to answer the unasked questions, to which Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," She responded hurriedly, ignoring his look of disbelief. "Now back to my earlier question, did you find anything?"

"We did," Lux explained. "Although I don't know what any of it means, Bo seems to understand."

Ahsoka was about to respond when she heard someone shout at Lux out of view of the holo. She couldn't help but laugh when she recognised the voice.

"What did I tell you about calling me that?" Bo-Katan shouted at him.

"Don't," He responded turning his head to the side where Ahsoka guessed she stood.

"Good, so do that," She answered in a falsely sweet tone.

Ahsoka placed the holo on the ground before her and made sure that everyone in the room was visible to Lux before taking a step back.

"Okay what'd you find?" She asked him, crossing her arms over her chest.

Lux opened his mouth to respond when Bo-Katan appeared in the frame carrying a box filled with miscellaneous trinkets.

" _He_ didn't find anything," Bo-Katan told her. "I did."

Lux rolled his eyes at her. "I found the ribbon."

Satine's ears pricked up at the mention of it and her head swung towards the holocall where she now caught view of her sister.

"Ribbon?" She asked in a voice much more panicked than she would have liked.

"Satine," Bo-Katan's face dropped instantly and her eyebrows knit together with concern. "You look exhausted, are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Satine snapped at her sister, she was sick of that question accompanied by pitying looks. "Now what of the ribbon?"

Bo-Katan's eyes widened a bit at her sister's sudden loss of temper. She never really had a good one but this was especially bad.

"It's just that silly yellow ribbon from when we were younger," Bo-Katan lifted it up. "I don't see what Maul would want with it. Now fill me in, what happened to you?"

Satine let out a sigh at her sisters question and reached her hand up to rub her temple for a moment before dropping her hands back down.

"Can we please do this another time?" Satine asked her with saddened eyes.

Anakin couldn't help but recognise the similarities in Obi-Wan and Satine in the way they would both deflect issues for a later date.

"Which would be?" Bo-Katan asked.

"Another time," Satine reiterated.

"Fine then," Bo-Katan shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Just never tell me anything, keeping secrets is what you're best at after all."

Her last sentence was muttered but everyone heard her, clear as day. Satine bit back the wince that wanted to display itself on her face. She had a feeling that's why things deteriorated between her and her sister so much. There was no illintent behind the secrets, Satine only wanted to protect her sister from _her._

"Who are all these people?" Bo-Katan looked around, finally taking note of the Jedi and Commanders.

"The people helping your sister," Ahsoka jumped back in. "Now can we please get back to the task at hand? What have you got, Lux?"

Anakin and Obi-Wan shared a look at Ahsoka's tone of voice. They'd heard her take command during a battle with the clones but this was different. She'd matured a great deal since she'd left the Jedi which was only made more evident now as she addressed Bo-Katan and Lux.

"There's a notebook here," Lux explained. "It was the only thing that looked like Maul owned it."

He picked up a leather bound book that glowed blue over the holo, but Ahsoka guessed it was really a deep brown. He opened it up and turned it around so that the words were visible to everyone else.

Ahsoka leaned forwards and squinted to try and make out the weird squiggles on the page.

"What kind of language is that?" She asked him, darting her eyes back up to his.

"I have no idea," Lux responded. "It's not something I've ever come across, I was hoping you might understand it."

Mace stepped forwards and inspected the page before stepping back with a look of contemplation. Something about the look he wore made Satine uneasy.

"What is it Master Windu?" She asked him.

"Ancient Sith symbols," Mace explained. "An intricate and difficult language to understand, it isn't usually taught in the Temple."

"Of course," Bo-Katan mused. "Because why teach your young anything about their sworn enemies, that would make far too much sense."

Rex let out a laugh but the glare he received from Mace prompted him to quickly morph it into a cough.

"It is not relevant to anything the Jedi would need to know," Mace responded to the Kryze woman. "Therefore we don't teach it."

"Not relevant?" She smirked. "I hope you see the irony in that."

Instead of allowing his laugh to escape, Rex bit down on the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing or smiling.

"Bo," Satine warned in a scathing tone.

Bo-Katan ignored her and continued to badger Mace about the writings.

"So what exactly does this supposedly irrelevant language say?" She asked him.

"That I am unsure of," Mace explained. "I understand some, not all. It would take many hours of careful dissection to understand the information these pages contain."

"What do you think they say?" Lux asked the Jedi master. "What might Maul be writing in a relatively unknown form of communication?"

"Something he wouldn't want others to be able to easily decipher," Obi-Wan chimed in. "Which means it will likely pertain to... what Maul did."

Satine glanced his way when she noticed the hesitancy in his words. He met her eyes in that moment and for one second she felt something in her chest flutter. She almost felt at peace, almost. Just as she was relaxing into his gaze, she felt a tingling sensation at the side of her neck. Obi-Wan's words came back to ring in her head and instant panic surged within her. She looked away from Obi-Wan immediately and her hand flew up to her neck as she jerked away from the invisible presence.

Anakin was one of the many people who looked over in her direction at the sudden movement. Anakin caught the look in her eyes and understood what it was immediately. He knew what if felt and looked like to be haunted by your nightmares, unable to escape, trapped.

"Is everything okay, Satine?" Ahsoka asked her with a similar look to the one she gave her the night before.

Anakin wondered if Ahsoka knew. The two had shared a room last night so if nightmares were what kept the Duchess from sleeping then she must have known.

"Yes, I'm alright," She smiled a smile that was so obviously fake. "What was it you were saying about the writings, Master Windu?"

Mace watched her curiously for a few silent moments. The woman was clearly hiding something, there was something she was trying to keep concealed and hidden away from them all, he just couldn't figure out what.

"Right," He decided to store it away for later. "Obi-Wan is right, the chances are that it contains some information about what Maul did. We should retrieve it as soon as possible, perhaps something in there could help us."

"We should pick it up before we head to Stewjon," Anakin offered up.

"Mandalore and Dathomir are pretty far away," Ahsoka pointed out. "Is there some place closer to Stewjon so we won't be going back and forth across the galaxy?"

Everyone thought for a moment until Satine spoke up.

"Reno!" She exclaimed louder than intended.

"What now?" Anakin raised an eyebrow, unfamiliar with the system.

"Reno," Satine repeated. "It's a planet that sits a far bit away from the Mandalore system but is run by one of the clans. Kaleah and Jax were great friends of mine when we were younger, I haven't seen them in almost ten years but I'm sure they wouldn't mind some unexpected visitors."

Obi-Wan listened to her speaking when the names popped out at him. Kaleah and Jax, they sounded so familiar, he was sure he'd heard them before. Then it hit him.

"Wait, the Elrin twins?" Obi-Wan asked her with a raised eyebrow.

Satine met his eyes with an emptiness that she'd never shown before, it was clear to him that she was caging herself away from him.

"Yes," Satine nodded hesitantly. "The Elrin twins."

"Have you met them before?" Anakin asked Obi-Wan after noticing his reaction to their names.

"When Qui-Gon and I were protecting Satine all those years ago, we sought refuge on Reno for a short period of time," He paused. "The Elrin twins are... interesting."

"That's one way of putting it," Satine agreed with him. "However they are kind people who have always supported my political stance and are loyal allies of Clan Kryze."

"Reno it is," Mace concluded.

Ahsoka glanced at the page again and noticed how odd the lettering looked. It was different to any ink she'd ever seen but the blue tint made it hard to figure out what it was.

"What ink is that?" She asked, the question sounded odd to her once she'd asked it but she was curious. "It looks really strange."

"That's because it's not ink," Mace glanced at the former padawan. "It's blood."

Ahsoka froze for a moment before her movement returned and she was left with comically widened eyes.

"I'm sorry blood!" She almost shouted. She'd seen plenty of weird things during her time as a Jedi padawan but soul tethering crystals, legends come to life, a nightmarish world between life and death, and messages in blood were the final straw for her.

"Explains the red," Bo-Katan murmured to nobody in particular.

Satine turned to Mace and the two made eye contact in the silence. She didn't want to ask, she really didn't.

"Is it my blood?" She found herself disgusted by the sound of her own voice. The quiet and uncertainty was something she hadn't voiced in years and yet, she found it coming out more frequently than she would have liked in the past few days.

Mace allowed a short pause. He knew it was pointless to prolong the answer, the Duchess had been well aware of the truth before she even asked the question.

"Most likely," Mace responded with his signature stone cold face. He tried to convey his sympathy through his eyes and project some kind of comfort through the force but this situation was truly out of his wheelhouse.

Satine didn't even have the energy to be disgusted or surprised at this point. That might have been the most frightening part of it all, the fact that she was becoming accustomed to the vile things Maul had done and would continue to do.

"Her blood?" Obi-Wan asked loudly. Unlike Satine, he had not yet become used to the creatively twisted things Maul could come up with.

"Maul wrote this book with her _blood_?" Bo-Katan's jaw dropped. She hadn't even heard the worst of it yet, this was the first of the many sickening acts to reach her ears. "What could he possibly hope to have gained from that?"

"He originally wanted revenge on Obi-Wan for what happened on Naboo," Mace explained. "But I think that at some point he became obsessed with torturing the Duchess. He needed something to occupy his time while he worked on his revenge and unfortunately your sister became that something."

Bo-Katan looked positively sickened by what he'd said. Satine on the other hand wasn't as horrified as she would have liked to be.

"So I'm an ink substitute now?" Satine asked although she wasn't exactly looking for an answer. "Lovely."

"Okay, that's a whole different level of disturbing," Ahsoka shook her head, she wanted to just move on completely. "What else did you find, Lux?"

"We found this music box," Lux picked it up. "It was sitting on top of the notebook."

Satine's eyes widened at the sight of the small box. She recognised the delicate wooden carvings and she was certain her heart was about to drop into her stomach like a rock.

"I thought I burned that," Satine spoke when her eyes fell on the box. She didn't particularly care if that sounded extreme or not, if they all knew what she knew they would want to see it go up in flames as well.

"What is it?" Vos asked with a raised eyebrow. He couldn't understand why a wooden box elicited such a reaction from Satine.

"An engagement present Satine received from our mother," Bo-Katan responded.

Satine closed her eyes to savour a second of peace before the onslaught of questions she knew she was now facing began.

"Engagement present?" Ahsoka's head swung in Satine's direction.

"You were engaged?" Obi-Wan didn't know whether to be shocked, jealous or outraged. He settled for all three.

"I was not engaged," Satine explained. "I was engaged to be engaged."

"To whom," Obi-Wan asked. The jealousy had fully won the fight on that count, it made itself very known in his tone.

"Uh," Satine looked down and scratched the back of her neck. "I can't seem to recall."

"Pre Visla," Bo-Katan jumped in with a slight smirk.

"Bo-Katan Kryze!" Satine snapped at her sister.

"Visla!" Anakin, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan all asked at the same time.

Rex and Vos laughed a little at their shock and unintentional synchronicity.

"The man who tried to murder you countless times and led a terrorist organisation hell bent on seeing your head on a pike?" Obi-Wan asked her slowly, making sure to speak each word clearly as if she were stupid.

"Yes, that man," Satine sighed. "And to be fair, he wasn't trying to kill me at the time."

"You accepted a proposal from that man?" Obi-Wan's eyes had still not returned to their normal size.

"There was never a proposal," Satine told him in an irritated tone of voice. "My mother had arranged a potential engagement with the leaders of Clan Visla after my brother died. She did not think I was fit to rule alone and wanted to marry me off. Luckily my father put a stop to it before her idea could come to fruition."

Obi-Wan blinked a few times at Satine when she spoke her words. She'd never spoken much of her mother during their year on the run. He knew her relationship with the woman was incredibly strained. Satine didn't even seem upset when she spoke of her death which was a stark contrast to how she handled the loss of her brother and father.

"So I shouldn't bring it with me to Reno?" Bo-Katan asked her, picked the box out of Lux's hand.

"No, bring it," Satine turned her head towards her sister. "I need to break something."

Bo-Katan nodded and put the music box back down. Anakin understood the want to smash everything in sight, he was surprised that Satine hadn't already broken something. He admired her ability to stay calm while her world crumbled around her.

"Is that everything?" Ahsoka asked Lux before they shared a worried glance towards Satine.

"Uh," He glanced around. "I think so, if we find anything else we'll grab it before we leave for Reno."

"Okay great," Ahsoka nodded to him before glancing towards Bo-Katan. "We'll see you two on Reno."

"See you then," Bo-Katan replied.

With a smile towards Lux, Ahsoka cut the comm transmission and turned around to the rest of the room. Everyone looked blank, they all didn't know how to feel. The mystery - if one could even call it that- was slowly being uncovered but at the expense of Satine's sanity and dignity.

"I guess I'll get this ship in the air," Anakin stood and turned for the cockpit. "Come on, Snips. I need a co-pilot."

Ahsoka slid her commlink into her pocket and followed him towards the cockpit, taking a seat beside him while the doors shut behind them. She had a feeling that this was going to be a long mission, and not the good kind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm trying to plan out a romance for Rex and I'm still trying to figure out who to pair him up with. I have a top contender at the moment but there is absolutely no fics with their romantic pairing on Ao3 so I wonder if it would be well received. I'm keeping it hush for now since it wouldn't even begin for another ten chapters, or something like that.   
> Just another reminder that I am taking plenty of creative liberties with Satine's backstory, specifically in the maternal section.  
> I hope you enjoyed reading, sorry again for how long it took.


End file.
